The Last Bearers
by thegreatwhitewolf
Summary: Formerly IdentityAxel is cold and uncaring. He wants nothing to do with his future mate, Roxas. But when other men start targeting him, unable to control their lust, he knows he must stake his claim or risk losing Roxas forever. Yaoi. mpreg. AkuRoku Zemyx
1. Chapter 1

Identity

Summary: A world reborn from twin brothers. A second chance at life. For Roxas, it begins when he's carted off to the mysterious place known only as The Institute. He begins his new life knowing that he must one day be bound to the cold Axel. Just when he thinks things can't get any worse, life suddenly becomes incredibly dangerous for him when men start lusting for his body. Axel realizes that if he does not stake his claim now, Roxas will be lost forever and as much as he hates admitting it, the young boy has grown on him…yaoi, mpreg, and many other things. AxelxRoxas ZexionxDemyx

Warning: This is going to contain yaoi, which is a malexmale pairing. If you don't like the idea of two males engaging in sexual activity, then I suggest you don't read this. It's also going to contain twincest, which is incest with twins so if the fact of twin brothers having sex scares you, read with caution-just skip the italic parts, mpreg-male pregnancy, some graphic sex, strong language, violence, and some childbirth scenes. Read with caution!!

A/N: This is based off my original story by the same title. Since it was so popular on fictionpress, I decided to bring it to the fanfiction world. I had a hard time choosing which fandom to use for this. I was going to go with Beyblade, but then I thought, ooh it fits the Kingdom Hearts characters well and I'm eager to write some more AxelxRoxas fics, as well as ZexionxDemyx, so here it is!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts. I'm not making any money by writing this. Don't throw a hissy fit.

--

_My twin brother Hayden and I always knew that we weren't what you would call normal. Well that can be inferred because both of us were born from test tubes. We also have the ability to bear children. Both of us are male, mind you. But both of us could have children, just in case. That's why we were created; when the apocalypse came and destroyed Earth, we would survive and reproduce. We remained in our test tubes until our fourteenth year, after the apocalypse had wiped out any life on Earth. We were fully grown, almost and equipped with everything necessary to survive. _

_At once, Hayden took control. He is older than me, after all. He's also a natural leader. He immediately assessed the situation and made sure that it was actually safe before venturing out. He didn't really like what he found. We really were the only ones left. The world had ended after a giant nuclear attack decimated the majority of the humans on Earth followed by the apocalypse that destroyed the survivors. Now, the scarred surface had finally cooled off and life was starting again. Hayden estimated that it had been at least a thousand years since Earth had been inhabited. Everything they had built was gone. We would have to start all over again. Like I said, Hayden wasn't happy. It was probably because we would have to break the biggest taboo of human society by having sexual intercourse, though I'm not sure why-there are no more humans and no human society. _

--

Chapter 1

2000 AAi

Roxas did not know the men who came to his house, though he knew what they were coming for. He had been branded a Bearer--a Breeder capable of bearing children. The Breeders were a mixture of males and females. In truth, there were few male Bearers left in the world after the human race had repopulated and the blood of the Bearers thinned out and became more and more female. The males were treated with extra care and cautiously bred with males to try and bring up their numbers. After all, the human population had been reborn through two male Breeders and it would never do to let them completely die out.

Roxas was one of the few male Bearers, and had known so since he was a child. He had always known that he would be called back to The Institution where he had been birthed to begin his duties as a Bearer.

"It's time to go," one of the men told him in a low voice.

"I know," he replied.

"Do you have what you need?"

"Yes. Let me go and get it."

"You have five minutes."

Breathing heavily, Roxas moved swiftly through his house and went to his bedroom. The bag he had prepared days before lay waiting on his neatly made bed. His foster parents were both at work, though they had said goodbye to him in the morning-they had known that today was the day he would be leaving them, after thirteen years of being their son.

Roxas sighed softly as he pulled on his coat and picked up the bag filled with a few precious things: photographs of him and his foster parents and a few books he was allowed to keep. Then, he closed the door behind him and went to the front of the house where the men were waiting. He could now see that all of them were large, hulking men at least twice his size and three times his weight.

"Are you ready now?" the man Roxas understood to be the leader asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered, nodding his head.

He followed the men out of the house, making sure the door was securely closed and locked before following the men to a waiting car.

The town where Roxas had grown up had never looked as beautiful as it did now. He felt tears well up in his eyes and pushed them back, angry at himself for losing control of his emotions. He was a Breeder now, and he needed to start acting like one.

They soon left the city and entered the countryside. Roxas stared out at the gently rolling hills. Water from an earlier gentle spring rain dripped from the leaves of trees. The driver had rolled down all the windows, allowing the sweet after-rain perfume fill the car.

Finally, they came to a large sprawling estate that seemed to go on for miles. The car stopped at the front gate and the driver spoke to someone over an intercom. A few seconds later, the gate automatically opened and the car entered. They traveled down a long gravel driveway and then finally stopped in front of a large white building. The doors opened and they got out.

Roxas couldn't help feeling nervous as they went in. He found that they were in what looked like a reception area in a hospital. One of the men went to the front desk and talked to the receptionist in a low tone. Then, he returned and motioned for Roxas to sit in a vacant chair.

"Someone will be with you shortly," he said gruffly.

Then, he and the other men left. Roxas fidgeted nervously and looked around the room. It was deserted except for the receptionist who never said a word. He didn't know how much time had gone by when finally, a stern-looking nurse came out of a door next to where the receptionist sat and told him to come with her. She was in her forties with blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her neck. They went down the corridors and stopped in front of a scale.

"Shoes off, please, and step onto the scale," she said crisply.

Roxas obeyed her without question. She made notes on a clipboard she carried with her and measured his height. Then, they went into a small room and he sat in a chair.

"What is your name?" the nurse asked.

"Roxas," Roxas mumbled, shifting slightly in his seat under the nurse's frown.  
"How old are you?"  
"I just turned thirteen."

"Today?"  
"Yes."

The questioning went on. The nurse took his temperature and blood pressure, and listened to his pulse. Then, she went to a drawer and tossed him a flimsy paper gown.

"Take off all your clothes-even your underclothes and put this on. The doctor will be in shortly,"  
she said, tossing the gown at him.

Then, she left. Trembling slightly, he stripped off all his clothes and put the gown on. Shivering slightly, he sat on the chair, waiting. There was a sharp knock on the door and the doctor came in. He was around thirty or so, Roxas guessed. He had long blonde hair and pale green eyes. His rather pointed chin gave him the appearance of a child molester.

"Hello Roxas. I'm Dr. Vexen. I'm going to do a physical, so if you'll go and lay on the examination table," he said, motioning to the table in the corner. Roxas did as he was told. The doctor pulled on a pair or rubber gloves and examined every inch of his body. Finally, he spread Roxas's legs apart and put a finger inside him causing him to jerk upwards and blush.

"Yes, everything looks all right. It seems you are good to go." He withdrew his finger. "You already know about Breeders?" he asked.

"Yes," Roxas mumbled, embarrassed that the older man had touched him like that, doctor or not.

"Good. All you need to know for now is that your mate's name is Axel. Don't forget that name, okay?"  
"Okay."

"You will be bound to him, but not for a while. Your body needs to reach sexual maturity first. Your first heat won't come until your fourteenth year. Then your physical bond with your mate will begin and you will start bearing children."

Roxas nodded. He didn't notice the doctor rubbing his arm with a cotton ball.  
"We'll be in touch later," the doctor said. He stuck a needle into Roxas's arm and something was injected into his body. He yelped softly, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. His world began spinning around him. All he knew was a rush of distorted voices and blurred images.

"Take him into OR three. I just want to make sure there's nothing wrong with him before we let him go with the others," a man said.

"Yes doctor," a woman said.

Roxas was aware of movement and lying on a soft bed. Someone closed some curtains around him and the same nurse as before came into his view.

"Just relax," she said soothingly. "Don't try and fight."

She pressed a mask to his nose and mouth and he felt himself drifting away.

--

The next thing he knew, he was lying in what appeared to be the bottom level of a bunk bed. He could hear the voices of several boys whispering to each other and strained to listen.

"He looks awfully pale," a boy with long blond hair whispered.

"Well duh," a second boy with dark hair that looked almost blue snorted. "They gave him tranquilizers to keep him quiet. He should be coming around in a minute."

Roxas blinked and the room came into better focus.

"Hey," the dark-haired boy smiled. "How do you feel?"  
"Like I was run over by a truck," Roxas groaned.

"You look like it too," the blond-haired boy smirked, earning him a smack from the other boy. "Ow! What the hell was that for Zexion?!"

"You deserved it." The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes. "I'm Zexion and that, unfortunately, is Demyx."

"I'm Roxas."  
"Welcome to The Institute," Zexion said with a smile.

Demyx peered at him curiously. "Are you a Bearer?"  
Zexion smacked him again. "Of course he is you idiot! Why else would he be here?!"  
Demyx backed away, muttering curses under his breath.

"Sorry about him. He can't help being an idiot."  
Roxas smiled. "It's all right."

He slowly sat up and bonked his head on the bottom of the top bunk. He rubbed his head, uttering a few well-chosen curses.

"You okay?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah," Roxas replied. He glared upwards. "Somehow I have the feeling that I'm going to be doing that a lot."  
"I did too," Zexion said.

Roxas slowly slid out of bed and when he came into the light, Zexion gasped.

"Sorry," he immediately apologized as Roxas stared at him. "I just forgot how young they bring us in."

Demyx wandered back over to them and when he saw Roxas, he gave a low whistle.

"Man and I thought you had a pretty face, Zex."

Zexion smacked him again. "Show some tact!" he hissed in a low voice.

Roxas just blushed.

"So who's your mate?" Demyx asked.

"His name is Axel."  
"Axel?!" Demyx gasped. Zexion growled something unpleasant under his breath.

Roxas stared at them. "What? What's wrong?"

"Are you sure it's Axel?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what the doctor said," Roxas answered. Zexion and Demyx glanced nervously at each other, which made Roxas nervous. "What's going on?"

Both Zexion and Demyx looked at him. Roxas could see that both of them were worried.

"Please tell me what's wrong," he said softly.

Demyx gave a soft sigh. "It's just that…well, Axel is sort of…cold I guess you could say."

Zexion snorted. "That's putting it mildly. He's a cold, heartless bastard. None of him or his friends have ever been mated and they've been here for three years. The doctors are afraid to mate them with someone because they're…well…rough."

"Rough?"

"It's easier to show you rather than tell you. Come here." Zexion held out his hand, his voice gentle.

Roxas took it and unsteadily walked forward. There were several other bunk beds, though they were all empty at the moment. They finally came to a glass window and Roxas could see another dormitory much like theirs on the other side. The only difference was that it was inhabited-about twenty or so boys lounged around, some on the beds and others spread out on the floor.

"Those are the other Breeders," Demyx explained. "We're the Bearers-we actually have the children. They are the ones who…uh…you know."  
Roxas nodded, getting the picture.

"They separate us from our mates until we go into heat. That way, there's no risk of us getting hurt because they can sometimes be on the aggressive side. My mate is Marluxia, over there." Demyx pointed to a boy with bright pink hair. "His hair isn't always that color. He likes to dye it depending on what his mood is." He paused. "Actually, I'm not sure what his natural color is."

Roxas nodded again.

"And Zex's mate is over there-SaÏx." Demyx pointed to a long silver-haired man. "And I'll show you Axel and his friends." He pointed to a group of four boys in the corner. There was a brown-haired boy, a silver-haired boy, a black-haired boy, and a red headed boy. "Axel is the red head." Roxas stared at him, pressing his hand against the glass. Though his back was turned to him, he could still tell that he was a dominant figure. "He's more aggressive than the others, especially if he's in a bad mood."

"Oh great," Roxas muttered.

The silver-haired boy noticed Zexion and the others were staring at them and tapped Axel on the shoulder. He murmured something into the red head's ear and he turned. There was a sneer on the silver-haired boy's face as he pointed at Roxas. Roxas felt his heart skip a beat as Axel looked at him. He couldn't help gasping softly—Axel looked so cold. His piercing green eyes held no warmth at all as they traveled down Roxas's frame. Zexion frowned and the other boys glared back.

_I have the feeling he's not going to welcome me with open arms._ Roxas thought darkly. _This is not going to be good. Not good at all. _

To be continued…

A/N: Well, there's the first chapter. I hope everyone liked it. I know that Zexion and Demyx both have mates but…well I'm not going to ruin the surprise. :P The characters are really OOC, but this is an AU so they need to be. I can't believe I put Zexion with SaÏx and Demyx with Marluxia. (giggles) I wanted to put Marluxia with Zexion, but I needed to put him with Demyx instead. Oh well. Reviews are loved and help me update faster.

4/5/09-I went back and took out any typos there might have been. Let me know if you see any more. Wow, the document manager didn't eat my italics this time around. Amazing.


	2. Chapter 2

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II. I do own the plot and the original characters who aren't associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II or any other anime, game, book, movie, TV show, ect.

--

It _was immediately decided that I would take on the submissive role and actually bear the children. It would be a while before I could bear; my body hadn't gone through its first heat, meaning my reproductive organs weren't fully developed yet. Hayden seemed fine with that. After all, we would have a lifetime to bear and raise children._

_Life was hectic at first since we were just starting out. Hayden found us clothes, food, shelter, and water. We built a small house using everything from the land. I became the 'housewife' while Hayden cleared away the forest and hunted the local wildlife, though he made sure to not totally kill off the species. Soon, we fell into routine._

_I woke up sweating and panting one night and knew that my first heat had come. Hayden did what he could to soothe me, but he knew as well as I did that the only way to stop it was through sex._

"_Harou," he murmured, smoothing down my hair. "You know the time has come."  
"Yes," I breathed. "We have to break the biggest taboo by having sexual intercourse. I must bear your children."_

_Hayden kissed my forehead, then his lips found mine. _

"_It feels weird," he murmured, pulling away momentarily. "It feels like I'm going to have sex with myself."_

"_It can't be helped," I whispered. "We just have to do it."_

_Hayden nodded and his lips found mine again. I opened my mouth and his tongue searched my mouth. Slowly, lovingly, he peeled my clothing off and gently traced my skin. _

"_Are you going to take me or not?" I growled, thrusting my hips up. I could feel the eagerness in his pants. He pulled them down and thrust forward. The moment our bodies connected, the moment I had him inside me, I knew my soul was complete. It was how it was meant to be. I would want no other in my life time as he would want no one but me. He seemed to realize it and became more eager. He slid further and further inside me, growling lustfully as our rocking became harder and harder. His tongue left my mouth and trailed down my neck._

_His tongue left my mouth and trailed down my neck. His teeth gently nipped at my skin, marking me as his and his alone. I laughed softly as I traced my fingers through his silky hair. I had forgotten that we were twins. That was not important anymore-we were lovers. That was all._

_He finally pulled out of me, both of us needing rest. He kept one arm draped lazily around my waist as we slept. _

--

Chapter 2

Axel lounged in the Breeder's dormitory, waiting for dinner. Suddenly, Riku tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Axel, I hear you got a mate," he sneered softly.

"Shut up," Axel growled in the back of his throat.

"He's here, if you want a look at him."  
Axel stared at him. "Really?"

"Yeah. He's standing with Marluxia and Saix's mates. He's the blond pressing his hand against the glass."

Axel rolled over and looked. He stared at the blond who was staring back at him. The boy was slim and pale. Soft gold hair perfectly framed his face and sapphire eyes stared curiously at him. Axel swore that he saw the boy blush faintly as his eyes traveled down his frame.

"What do you think?" his friend Sora asked.  
"He's really pale and weak-looking, right Axel?" sneered Riku.

"I don't know," Sora murmured. "I think he's rather cute."

Axel made a sound of indifference.  
"Dinner!" one of the wardens called. Axel followed the other Breeders into the cafeteria and stood in line. Across the room, he watched as the blond-haired boy stood behind Saix's mate. Sora caught him looking and whispered, "his name is Roxas."

"Like I care," Axel snorted.

Sora looked worried. "You should be. He is your mate after all."

"Don't…call…him…that," Axel hissed angrily. "I don't want to think of that!"

"But that's what he is," Sora said sadly. "Like it or not, you're stuck together," he said more to himself.

Axel and Sora sat with their regular group in the corner of the cafeteria for dinner. Axel couldn't help glancing over at Roxas from time to time where he saw with the other two Bearers. He was delicately picking at his food.

Zexion glanced at Roxas "Are you feeling okay? You're not eating much."

"I'm not really that hungry," Roxas mumbled.

"You've gotta eat," Demyx encouraged. "You've gotta keep your strength up."

"I know."

Roxas still only picked at his food. After dinner, he trudged back to the dormitories with Demyx and Zexion sticking close to him. He saw why as they turned right down a long corridor; the Breeders were being escorted back to their dormitories and they came quite close. It was a tense minute. Zexion leaned in and exchanged a few words in a soft tone with the tawny haired boy who had been with Axel earlier. Roxas couldn't help shivering when he felt Axel's cold green eyes on him. It felt like he had been doused with a bucket of ice water. Demyx put an arm around him and glared. Axel's lips turned up in a cold sneer. It gave Roxas goosebumps. Then, they were past. No one spoke until they were safely in the dormitories. Roxas saw, as if for the first time, there were only a handful of Bearers. He knew he shouldn't be surprised; the number of male Bearers was decreasing. That was the whole reason the Institute was created-to give them a safe environment to reproduce. Even so, it was still not looking good.

Demyx forced Roxas to sit on the edge of his bed and peered anxiously at him.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" he asked. "You look like you're going to faint. Do you feel weak? Light-headed?"

"I feel a bit dizzy," Roxas mumbled as the room seemed to swim around him. He felt his heart beating faster and faster.

"Calm down. Take a couple deep breaths," Zexion said soothingly, coming over to them. "Put your head down between your knees."

Roxas obeyed as the room seemed to spin faster and faster. He could feel himself shaking as he tried to regain control of himself. Tears burned at the edges of his eyes. Finally, he couldn't control it anymore and let out a soft howl of misery. Tears fell fast onto his lap and he choked back his sobs. The mattress sagged slightly as Zexion sat down next to him and gently started rubbing his back.

"Shh. It's going to be okay," he said soothingly.

Roxas didn't stop crying for hours. Finally, he lay on his bed, quiet.

"So what do you think set him off?" Demyx asked in a whisper, as Roxas had fallen asleep.

"I think it was a combination of homesickness and fear of being in a totally new place. He's probably overwhelmed by everything," Zexion answered.

Demyx nodded. "It doesn't help that his mate is a cold and uncaring bastard."

"Yes. Hopefully, Axel will come around or else we're going to have some problems."

"What do you think the doctors were thinking when they made Roxas his mate? I mean, there are a bunch of other guys he could have been mated to, so why him? Why the hell are they putting Roxas through this?" Demyx asked, his voice rising slightly in anger.

"Shh," Zexion pleaded. "Don't wake Roxas up."

"Sorry," Demyx dropped his voice to a whisper. "So what do you think?"

"I have no idea. They must have had a good reason to put Roxas with Axel instead of someone more suitable. We just have to trust that they know what they're doing."  
"And if not?"

"I have no clue."

Demyx sighed softly. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Yeah, me too," Zexion murmured, reaching out and taking Demyx's hand. He squeezed it lightly.

"So what were you talking to Sora about?" Demyx asked.

"Oh, he just inquired about Roxas. He wanted to know if he was all right because he wasn't eating much. And…he said that he's going to try and bring Axel around. He's not sure how successful he's going to be, but he's going to try."

"I see."

"We're going to talk some more tomorrow during our lessons. It's one of the only times Breeders and Bearers intermingle with each other."

Demyx nodded. Roxas moved restlessly in his sleep. Zexion sighed softly and gently smoothed his hair down.

--

Axel was surprised to see Roxas the next morning as he walked into the cafeteria flanked by Zexion and Demyx as he was yesterday. However, there was something much different about him. He held himself much differently. His arms were wrapped around his body and his eyes were downcast, apparently lost in thought. He looked so…insecure. Axel watched as they sat at a table and though Demyx and Zexion pushed food at him, he merely shook his head and refused to eat a bite. At the end of breakfast, he rose with the others and brought his plate of untouched food to the garbage can. He walked with Zexion and Demyx to their first lesson. They sat in one corner with the majority of the Bearers while the Breeders sat in the other corner, heavily guarded. However, there were several Breeders allowed to intermingle with the Bearers. Sora was one of the lucky few and quickly came over to sit with Demyx and Zexion.

"You..." Roxas murmured, surprised.

Sora smiled. "Some of us Breeders who have self-control are allowed to intermingle with the Bearers."

"Oh."

"I should introduce myself. My name is Sora."  
"I'm Roxas."  
"Yes, I know." There was an awkward silence. "Look, I feel I must apologize on Axel's behalf. He…" Sora sighed softly. "You mustn't take Axel's behaviors personally, all right? He…doesn't know how to deal with people very well. He doesn't hate you or anything. He's just…confused."

Roxas silently nodded. Demyx engaged him in a conversation about the lessons and what to expect so that Zexion and Sora could carry on a conversation without being overheard.

"He looks like he was crying a lot," Sora murmured.

Zexion nodded. "He cried for several hours at least last night. Demyx and I did the best we could to comfort him."

"Poor thing," Sora whispered.

"They all cry at the beginning. They're just so young. They're scared and hardly understand what's happening. It'll take a while, but Roxas will eventually get settled in. Demyx and I will see to that."  
"Good."

The two of them stopped talking because the teacher was starting the lesson, but Sora passed Zexion a note.

I'm not terribly worried; it's not like Axel has any choice in the matter in the end-his instincts will kick in when Roxas has his first heat. And there's no way he's going to be able to stop it.

Yeah, I know. It would be nice if Axel would acknowledge Roxas's presence as his mate because it would make him feel a lot better, but that's like asking for a miracle, huh?

I don't know. We can try, but it really depends on Axel.

Yeah.

At the end of an hour, there was a break, followed by another hour of lessons. Lunch was at noon and then the Bearers and Breeders separated for their afternoon classes. Demyx and Zexion brought Roxas to the front of the room and took their seats near the middle.

"Ah, the new student," the teacher said with a smile. "Welcome to The Institute. My name is Mr. Lexaeus. You are…?"  
"Roxas," Roxas answered. "My name is Roxas."  
"Roxas. Well, let me tell you a bit about what's going on here. I'm sure one of your new friends has told you about the format of the classes here at the Institute?"

"Yes," Roxas answered with a nod.

"This first lesson I like to use as a study period and then, depending on the day, we do certain things. Today I'm going to give a lecture on proper nutrition during heat. You…understand what heat is?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Good. Things will seem hectic around here for a while, but I promise, it will get better. Since you are new here, I'll take the time to explain a few things. You and your mate won't officially be joined together for a couple weeks. They, and by "they", I mean the Council wants to make sure that you're properly settled in first. The joining ceremony is pretty much a formality. It's a wedding ceremony, if you will, verbally binding you and your mate together. You won't be physically bound together until you experience your first heat when you're fourteen. After that, you'll mate whenever you go to heat in the hopes that you produce children. If you get pregnant, you will not have any more heats until after you give birth. It'll be so much easier to understand once you experience it for yourself."

"Okay."

"Do you have any questions?"

Roxas shook his head. He took an empty seat beside Zexion and opened his History Textbook. He had been assigned the first chapter to read before the next lesson.

_Before the apocalypse, life on Earth thrived. The human race had built massive cities and no one seemed to give any thought to the apocalypse. This, however, proved untrue when a group of scientists started experimenting with genetics in order to create a new breed of humans capable of surviving the apocalypse._

_It was soon determined that the easiest way was to create a set of identical twins because their DNA is completely identical. In the year 4100 (by the old calendar), the scientists were successful in creating twin boys artificially, that is, without the aid of a mother's womb. Both of them had the ability to bear children and were given everything needed to survive. The apocalypse came in 4115 and life on Earth ceased to exist. The twins Harou and Hayden were born a thousand years after the apocalypse and began to live life, not as twin brothers, but as lovers._

Roxas looked up from his page, frowning.

"That's….interesting," he murmured.

"Oh it gets better. Trust me," Demyx grinned.

Zexion just rolled his eyes.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II. I'm merely borrowing them. I do own any unrecognizable characters who aren't associated with any sort of anime, game, TV show, book, movie, ect. The plot is also exclusively mine.

_Hayden got up early the next morning, as he usually did, but he gave me a goodbye kiss before he left. I felt more alone than usual without him by my side, but I reminded myself that he needed to tend to his responsibilities, as did I. I hardly bothered to get dressed; I knew our ritual would continue again after dinner. It would continue until he impregnated me. After our first child, we would wait for a year and then try again. Our goal was to have as many children as possible. The fate of humanity depended on it._

--

Chapter 3

Two weeks later, Roxas was unexpectedly called out of class. Not knowing why, he followed a guard down the hallways and into a small room. A tall thin man sat behind a desk.

"Hello Roxas. My name is Xemnas and I'm what you'd call the director here at The Institute. Do you know why I called you here?" the man said with a smile.

"No sir," Roxas answered, shaking his head.

"Well, let's wait for your mate to arrive and then I'll explain what's happening."

The door opened, causing Roxas to turn around. He stared as Axel surrounded by several guards entered.

"You may leave," Xemnas addressed the guards, waving his hand. The guards murmured amongst themselves, but obeyed.

"Come forward, Axel. Stand by Roxas."

Axel hesitatingly moved forward. He never acknowledged Roxas presence in the room.

"I have called both of you here because it is time for you to be bound together. This verbal agreement will be consummated after Roxas's first heat and your bodies connect. You will be bound together as mates until the end. Now Axel, take Roxas's hand."

Roxas heard Axel hiss softly under his breath, but the red haired teen reached out and took Roxas' hand. Xemnas started a long speech and Roxas closed his eyes, trying to block the words out. Axel's grip tightened. Roxas finally opened his eyes.

"Axel?" Xemnas asked.

Axel gritted his teeth, knowing what he had to do. He turned to Roxas and repeated the words Xemnas told him, vowing to protect him as his mate, and so on. Then, it was Roxas's turn. His voice trembled badly as he spoke each word. The last words died in his throat.

"Axel?" Xemnas asked again.

Axel snarled under his breath and seized Roxas by the shoulders. He pulled Roxas in so they were inches apart.

"Look, I'm doing this because I have to and for no other reason, all right?" he hissed.

Roxas nodded, frightened. He felt his heart beat faster and faster as Axel's lips closed over his. The older boy quickly pulled away and shoved Roxas roughly against the wall. He hurried out of the room.

"Axel" Xemnas barked, rising. There was a scuffle outside and Axel was dragged back into the room by several of the guards. They tightly held onto him even though he struggled greatly to free himself.

"Axel! Control yourself!" Xemnas barked. Axel spat obscenities at him. "AXEL!!" Axel didn't listen. Roxas pressed himself harder against the wall as Axel momentarily broke free and tried to sprint from the room. "Get him! Don't let him get away!"

The guards hurried after him. They dragged him back into the room a second time. Xemnas pulled something from one of his desk drawers. At first, Roxas thought it was a gun, but then he saw it was a syringe. Xemnas stepped forward and stuck the syringe into Axel's forearm. Axel howled in pain and tried to rip the syringe out. The guards held him still as Xemnas pushed the syringe down. There was a moment when Axel continued his struggle to get free, and then he fell limp. Xemnas straightened up, breathing heavily. He turned to Roxas, trying to control his rage.

"You may leave. One of the guards will escort you back to your lessons," he said. Roxas nodded. He threw a glance at Axel as he left. Somehow, he got the feeling that _he_ was the reason for Axel's sudden outburst. He wanted to curl up and die as he went back to his lessons.

"Roxas? What's wrong?" Zexion asked as Roxas took his seat.

"Nothing," Roxas lied. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with Axel.

--

Axel stood in Xemnas's office unrestrained. He waited for what he knew was coming. He stood tall as Xemnas exploded in his face.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU AXEL, RUNNING OUT ON YOUR MATE LIKE THAT?! AND IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CEREMONIES HERE AT THE INSTITUTE! " he screamed, his face turning bright red, as it usually did when he got angry. Axel said nothing and allowed Xemnas to continue his rant. "Do you **want** the boy to be afraid of you?"

"How do you know…?" Axel began.

"I can tell!" Xemnas interrupted, never lowering his voice. "I've been watching him ever since he came here to The Institute and I can see that he's frightened of you! Is that what you want?!"

"I never wanted to come here in the first place," Axel muttered. Xemnas smacked him hard.

"You should be grateful! You should be grateful that I was able to bend the rules so that you could come and live here. You know your kind are not welcome here."

Axel face flushed. " I am **not **a slut."

"That's not what I heard," Xemnas sneered. "You have quite a reputation, or so I've heard."

"What you've heard is wrong."

"Oh, but I have very reliable informants," Xemnas said, raising his eyebrows. Axel growled under his breath. "Now you listen good, Axel. You have caused nothing but trouble since the day you arrived here. You had better get your act together and soon, or else you'll face severe consequences."

"What? You gonna throw me out of this place? I have no objections to leaving."

"You cannot leave. You have a mate now."

"That's why you gave me _him_ as my mate. So I wouldn't be able to leave," Axel growled.

"No," Xemnas said in a sharp voice that caused Axel to stare at him. "That is not why I chose Roxas to be your mate, although, admittedly, that is a bonus."  
"So why the hell am I his mate?"

"You shall see in time."

"Bastard! Answer me!"  
"Now Axel, I don't think you are in such a position to be giving orders, seeing as you are already in hot water."

"Yeah?" Axel challenged. "What are you gonna do to me? Life here is already a living hell."

"You and your mate will be spending some…ah…quality time together for the next three days."

"Three days?!" Axel exploded. "Why the hell do I have to spend three days with him?!"

"You and Roxas need to get to know each other better. You must get along with him, whether you like it or not. He is your mate and you are stuck with him for the rest of your life. I am not saying that you have to like him, but you must at least put up with him, all right? If you're not careful, I'll make your sentence longer." Axel scowled, but didn't protest. "Very well, then. You are hereby ordered to spend three days in confinement with your mate, Roxas. I will have a guard escort you back to your quarters to gather a few of your things."

--

"Confinement?" Roxas asked, his young face troubled by the sudden news. "What for?"

"Xemnas believes that you and your mate need to spend some time together to get to know one another. I've been asked to escort you to the confinement area," a guard replied.

"How long am I being confined with Axel?" Roxas asked, becoming more and more troubled.

"Three days. Now, please, get your stuff so we may leave."

"Yes sir."

Roxas turned away so the guard couldn't see how afraid he was. Numbly, he went to the chest at the foot of his bed where he kept his possessions, and threw a couple things into his bag. Then, he straightened up and tried to regain his composure.

_I have to be strong._ He thought. _I have to show Axel that I'm not weak. I can do this. I can survive three days in confinement with only Axel. I have to._

Taking in several deep breaths and turned around, keeping his face calm.

"I'm ready to go," he said in an even tone.

"Follow me, then," the guard ordered.

They left the dormitories and went down the long maze of halls, passing by several guards before finally stopping in front of an unmarked door. The guard took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. "In you go," he ordered, ushering Roxas forward. Roxas stepped over the threshold and was met by a wave of cold air. He blinked. It was pitch black; there were no windows in the small square room.

"Your mate is here," the guard announced. Roxas saw in the light from the door the outline of whom he guessed was Axel lying on the only bed.

"Behave yourselves," the guard said with a horrible grin and then closed the door. Roxas heard the lock click and departing footsteps. Cautiously, he crossed the room and sank down against the wall opposite to where Axel lay. He couldn't help sighing softly. He had gotten himself into a fine mess this time and he didn't even know how.

To be continued...

A/N: (7/30/08) I fixed the couple of "Johns" I missed. They're supposed to be Xemnas. John is the original character from this. I heartily apologize. I thought I got them all but I missed like two.


	4. Chapter 4

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II. I'm merely borrowing them. I do own the characters not associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II or any other game, TV, movie, book, anime, ect. The plot is exclusively mine and is not to be used without my permission.

--

_We kissed feverishly, him on top of me, both of us still fully dressed. He pulled up my shirt while he kissed my neck. He moved down, kissing and licking my nipples, biting gently to feel me squirm. They hardened when he touched them. He kissed my belly while he worked to free me of my pants. He pulled away and disrobed. Then, I reached up and caressed his cock, feeling it go hard underneath my touch. He moved upwards, his hardness trailing across my belly and then into my throat. He pushed farther in and I sucked on his cock, enjoying hearing him growl in the back of his throat. _

" _More," he growled. "More." _

_I pushed him up a little so I could run my tongue around and around. Both of us gasped for air. A liquid trickled into my throat, a warm salty fluid. Knowing what it was, I swallowed. Hayden withdrew and put his mouth to mine. He knelt on top of me and slid into me. At last we were one. I barely noticed him inching inside of me. All that mattered was that we were as we should have been._

"_Are you all right?" he asked softly._

"_I'm fine," I replied._

_I pulled him down so we were now directly on top of each other, him fully inside of me. Our muscles contracted and relaxed in perfect harmony, his seed coursing through me. My nipples pressed against his chest as we inhaled and exhaled together. We kissed again, slower this time. His heartbeat fluttered against my chest._

_He reluctantly pulled out of me. He laid down next to me and we laid on our sides, facing each other. Our cocks touched gently rubbing each other. Liquid still trickled out and plastered my thighs with it. His hand strayed down to my belly. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his hand massaging my skin. His hand strayed down my thigh and then moved inward. He briefly touched my inner thigh then went for his main objective; my cock. I went hard as he massaged it. A small trickle of liquid burst out. He grinned and leaned down to lap it up._

"_I thought we were done," I protested._

_He looked up at me, his eyebrows arched. "Oh no. There's a lot more we can do." _

"_We'll let's see what you can do," I replied, rolling fully onto my back. He got up and spread my legs apart. He stroked my erection lovingly. More liquid squirted out. He licked it up as before. He ran his tongue over the edge._

"_Ahh," I moaned, unable to hold my pleasure back. Grinning wildly, he took me fully into his mouth as liquid burst out. Some dribbled down his chin, but he took no notice. I pushed further and further into his mouth as he sucked harder and harder on my cock and we both groaned and writhed around on the bed. We reached climax and I resisted the urge to scream._

"_Oh god," I panted when it was all over. "Oh god!"  
"See?" Hayden whispered. He held me close as I drifted off to sleep. _

_--_

Chapter 4

"What?!" Demyx demanded, his eyes flashing. "Roxas has been put in confinement with Axel?!"

"Shhh," Zexion pleaded at a whisper. "Don't yell so much."  
"I don't understand. Why the hell would they put Roxas in confinement with Axel? Isn't it only for one person?" Demyx said, barely lowering his voice.

"Yes, but the rumor is that Axel did something at the binding ceremony that made Xemnas angry and he's punishing Axel by throwing him in confinement with Roxas. See, according to Sora, Axel can't be punished in the normal way."  
"What do you mean 'in the normal way'?" Demyx asked.

"I'm not so sure myself," Zexion answered. "All I know is that Axel doesn't respond to being locked in a small windowless room by himself for days at a time. He just doesn't care."

"So why drag Roxas into all this?"

"Think, Demyx! Axel hates the idea of Roxas being his mate and doesn't want anything to do with him. By locking him in the same room as Roxas for three days, Xemnas is ensuring that Axel isn't going to do whatever he did again."

"But what exactly did Axel do?"

"No one knows."

Demyx sighed softly in annoyance. "I just hope he's all right."  
Zexion's blue violet eyes were filled with worry as he answered, "So do I."

--

Roxas sighed softly as he leaned back against one of the cold walls. He could understand how Axel felt at home in a cold, dark room with no one else present. He was a cold person.

"Excuse me?" Axel's cold voice demanded through the darkness.

Roxas let out a small eep of surprise, his hand flying to his mouth.

"I am so sorry!" he gasped. "I didn't know I said that out loud."

There was silence for a while.

"What do you mean?" Axel finally asked.

"What?" Roxas asked.

"What do you mean when you said I was a cold person?"

"Um…nothing really," Roxas said quickly.

"Tell me!"

Roxas cringed. "It's just…" he took a deep breath. "I don't know if anyone's told you this, but it's true. You don't seem to give a damn about anyone or anything. You push me away even though you don't know me at all. You don't even want to give me a chance or get to know me at all."

The tears he was struggling to hold back came forward. He reached up and gently brushed them away, glad it was dark.

_At least Axel can't see me crying._ He thought.

"Why the hell are you crying?" Axel asked.

Roxas mentally cursed himself. He had a really bad habit of voicing his thoughts out loud without even knowing it.

"Well?" Axel demanded.

Roxas shook his head and tried to control himself but he couldn't stop the tears from flowing out of his eyes.

"I'm waiting."

"I don't give a damn!" Roxas managed to choke out. "Just leave me alone you cold heartless bastard!"

"Is that all you have to say?" Axel asked coldly.

"No!" Roxas yelled. "I'm not done you jerk! Any normal human being who had an ounce of humanity in him would understand what I'm going through. I've just been taken from my home, my life and thrown into this place and I'm alone and I'm scared to death. And now knowing that I have to spend the rest of my life with you makes it even more unbearable. Any normal human being would feel compassion but I guess you can't do that, can you? You have nothing but ice running through your veins. You've made my life a living hell. I hope you're happy."

He felt sort of bad for yelling at Axel like that, but he didn't regret it at all. He knew he was speaking only the truth. He couldn't take the words back now.

--

Zexion and Demyx were slightly afraid to see the state Roxas was in after spending three days alone with Axel in confinement, but Roxas had grown on them so they waited outside the confinement area. Axel was led out first, surrounded by several guards. His red hair was a mess and his clothes were wrinkled, but he looked fine otherwise. Zexion and Demyx knew that he was fine because he glared coldly at them as he passed. A few moments later, Roxas appeared led by one of the other guards. He managed a weak smile when he saw them.

"Are you okay? You look like shit!" Demyx blurted out, earning him a jab in the ribs from Zexion.

Roxas laughed. "Yeah I probably do. I haven't been able to shower in three days."

"Well you didn't miss much. Oh yeah, one of the other Bearers had his heat and made the Breeders go nuts. Maybe it was a good thing you and Axel weren't there. Things sort of got out of hand. But it wasn't anything the guards couldn't handle."

As Demyx jabbered on, Zexion studied Roxas's face further. He was smiling, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He made a mental note to try and talk to Roxas later, privately. He got his chance a lot sooner than he thought. Roxas excused himself from breakfast to take a shower and Zexion made up his mind to skip breakfast to talk to him. He wasn't that hungry anyways. The two of them didn't speak until they were well out of earshot.

"So how was it really in there with Axel?" Zexion asked softly as they walked to the dormitories.

"Not that good," Roxas admitted. "It was a long three days."

"What happened?"

"Well, for the first part of the first day, we sat in total silence. I accidentally voiced my opinion about him being cold and as you can imagine, Axel didn't exactly take that lying down."

Zexion nodded, wincing at the image of Axel's angry face.

"We ended up getting into a shouting match that lasted the majority of the first day. Day two was spent in silence for the majority of the time. This morning, we got into another argument."  
"What did you fight about?"  
"Does it even matter?"

"Well, yeah."  
"It wasn't really that important. Just the usual him being a bastard and stuff."

Zexion was silent for a while.

"I'm a little bit surprised," he finally admitted.

"Why's that?" Zexion asked, turning around.

"I just didn't think you'd yell at Axel. I thought he'd be the one always yelling at you."

Roxas blushed. "I felt sort of bad about yelling at him, but I don't regret it. He deserved it."

Zexion smiled. Roxas went into the community bathroom and stripped. He stepped into one of the showers and turned it on. He sighed softly and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to untangle his hair.

When he had finished, he switched the hot water off and toweled himself off. He pulled on a new set of clothes and threw the dirty ones in a hamper. Zexion was waiting in the dormitories for him to finish. Without saying a word, the two of them headed for their first class.

--

It was apparent how much had changed between Axel and Roxas when Roxas stepped into the room. Axel looked up and sent a cold glare at his mate that made everyone else feel frigid, but Roxas simply returned the glare. Zexion put a hand on his shoulder, wondering for the first time if he would have to restrain Roxas. The blond-haired boy simply took his seat and pretended that Axel wasn't there. Sora looked at Zexion in surprise. Zexion shrugged.

Roxas's new behavior did not wear off after several days or even several months. He acted the same towards everyone else, but when Axel was around, he would become silent and moody. Life at the Institute settled down in the aftermath of Roxas's arrival, though the talk did not die down. Rumors flew of Roxas and Axel standoff in confinement and their new standoff. People were even starting to place bets about the nature of their relationship and whether one of them was going to crack or not.

"Well, this has brought about one good thing," Demyx muttered to Zexion one day.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Zexion asked as he watched Roxas take his lunch tray to the garbage can.

"He's given us a hobby to kill the time."

Zexion snorted but couldn't deny that Demyx was right. Things had certainly become interesting when Roxas arrived at The Institute. There hadn't been so much excitement since he'd arrived, unless you counted the Bearers going into heat, but that always ended the same-the Bearer and his mate would go do their thing and the lust would stop. They never knew how things would turn out between Axel and Roxas and each day was as exciting as the one before.

At first, Zexion had been surprised when Roxas occasionally lashed out at Axel—he had never known the blond to be capable of being mean, but he grew used to it. He realized that it was Axel who pushed Roxas so far and, in turn, Roxas pushed Axel, causing both of them to do things no one would have otherwise thought them capable of doing. He had a feeling that Axel loved Roxas but was trying to deny it and he was pretty sure that Roxas was smitten with Axel, but since Axel was denying his own feelings, Roxas was not making it easy at all. Somehow things would work out. That was one thing he was absolutely sure of. No matter how hard Axel tried to deny it, Roxas was incredibly good looking, kind (though he didn't always show it), and sincere.

"He's going to make a great mate. Axel just doesn't see it yet," he said to no one in particular.

To be continued…

A/N: If you guys have any questions at all about this, feel free to ask and I'll answer them to the best of my ability.


	5. Chapter 5

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II. I'm merely borrowing them. Any unrecognizable characters belong to me as well as the plot of this story and they are not to be used without my permission.

_It took five days before I finally became pregnant and another three weeks for us to figure it out. After that, I was confined to the bed to ensure that I didn't risk losing the baby. In this strange new world, anything could happen. Hayden was always gone during the day, clearing the forest (he did leave a good amount of trees for the local wildlife) and doing other various chores while I tried not to strain myself doing the housework. As the months fell away, I became more and more pregnant. Hayden built furniture and made clothes, trying to keep them a neutral color since we didn't know the gender of the baby. Hayden built what he called the "birthing room". We had been given the knowledge on how to deliver babies along with everything else._

--

Chapter 5

Axel stared as Roxas entered the cafeteria one morning a couple days shy of his fourteenth birthday. It seemed as though he had been transformed overnight. Since when had he been so handsome? Axel mentally kicked himself. He felt nothing for the boy. He never had and he never would.

He couldn't help staring as Roxas crossed the room with his head held high. In almost a year, Roxas had transformed from a quiet, gentle, shy little boy into a confident, bright young man. He held himself proudly and wouldn't let anyone look down on him, but yet he wouldn't look down on anyone else. It had happened so fast. Axel's reflected for a moment. No, it hadn't happened overnight. When he looked back, Roxas's transformation had happened a little at a time. He just hadn't noticed until now.

He couldn't help staring at Roxas. He was so…so different. He had let his hair grow out so it now reached his shoulders. His face had matured and his baby fat seemed to have melted away. He was thin but had well developed muscles from gym. Several heads turned and several pairs of eyes followed Roxas's movement across the room. He picked up his tray and joined Zexion and Demyx at their usual table. The eyes still followed him, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it. He acted as though nothing was happening.

Sora caught up to Zexion right before class.

"I'm worried," he whispered.

"Why?" Zexion replied.

"Did you see how all the Breeders were looking at him today? I overheard some of them talking about him. They're already feeling lustful towards him and he hasn't even had his first heat yet. If he can turn them on now, just think about what'll happen when he goes into heat!"

"I know, but there isn't anything we can do about it. We can't stop the lust. The Breeders will only get edgier and snap if they're controlled too much. We just have to wait and see what happens. There's only a couple days left before his birthday. We have no idea when his heat will occur."  
"Sometime after his birthday I guess." Zexion shrugged.

"Just be careful, all right? I have a really bad feeling."

--

Roxas's first heat unexpectedly started the day of his fourteenth birthday and it came at the worst possible moment.

"Are you okay?" Zexion asked, throwing a worried glance at his friend, who was only picking at his food.

"I feel sort of funny,"Roxas mumbled.

"Funny like how?"

"I dunno…sort of hot and tired."

Zexion leaned over and put a hand on Roxas's forehead. "Well, you're definitely warmer than usual. I wonder if yo…" he stopped, his eyes widening. He had caught a smell while leaning in towards Roxas, the unmistakable scent of someone in heat.

"Zex? What's wrong?" Demyx asked through a mouthful of food.  
"Roxas's heat," Zexion answered. Demyx dropped his fork and leaned over to get whiff of the smell, though it was unnecessary; a moment later, he was able to smell it sitting two places to Roxas's right.

"Oh fuck," he murmured. He glanced over at the Breeders. "Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck."

Zexion glanced around and saw the other Bearers shifting uncomfortably. They too, smelled it. It was only a matter of time before the Breeders got wind of it. One of their heads turned. Zexion only saw red hair. Axel. He was the only redhead at The Institute. Everyone else either had brown or blond hair, or something in between. His mouth tightened. It was clear that he could smell Roxas. Zexion saw a couple more heads turn. They were starting to notice. It would be hard to not notice it; it was the most potent scent Zexion had ever experienced and he was a Bearer. Roxas sat absolutely still, though Zexion could see him shaking. He was frightened.

"Man, you are one lucky bastard," Xaldin growled in Axel's ear. Axel blinked and remembered that he was Roxas's mate.

"Control yourself, Xaldin," Sora pleaded, unaffected by the smell of Roxas.

"How can you not smell it?" Xaldin hissed.

"I smell it, but I'm not letting it bother me."  
"You have a lot more self-control than I do." Riku smirked.

"How can you not let it bother you? It's so potent."

"Enough," Axel snapped, surprising everyone, including himself. "Stop talking about him like that."  
"Ooh, someone is protective," Sora teased lightly.

Axel felt his face grow hot but couldn't think of a response. He had no idea of why that had slipped out.

Axel continued to stare at the blond-haired boy. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He never really had realized just how beautiful Roxas really was. He scowled. Had he just admitted that Roxas was beautiful? Did it really matter? Roxas was his mate. Axel's eyes widened as he realized that no matter how much he tried to deny it, to himself, to others, he was Roxas's mate and nothing was going to change that fact. Roxas was attracting a lot of stares. He was attracting a lot of stares, and it made Axel angry. He didn't want anyone else to look at Roxas with lust. They would be tempted to take him, but he was his.

Swallowing hard, he knew what he had to do. He had to fulfill his duty as a Breeder and physically seal the bond by taking the boy's innocence-his virginity. He needed to do it soon, before all hell broke loose. One of the Breeders was bound to be set over the edge by Roxas and try to take him, though it was strictly forbidden. The guards were going to have their hands full today trying to control the Breeders. They knew how dangerous the Breeders got when one of the Bearers was in heat, but this was not just any ordinary Bearer. Roxas's heat was much more potent than any other Bearer of his time.

Zexion kept his eyes on Axel, watched as they looked around the room. He was thinking. Calculating. Zexion could see it.

_Oh god, he's going to try and make a break for it_. He thought. It was the most foolish and risky thing Axel could do. He would risk hurting himself and Roxas in the process. The Breeders were powerful. They were dominant and incredibly aggressive. And right now, they were horny. The worst possible combination. Zexion risked a glance at Demyx. He was sitting mouthing "fuck" over and over again. Zexion glanced over at Roxas. He looked like he wanted to curl up and die. He looked back at the Breeders. Half of them looked like they wanted to come over and ravage Roxas. A third of them were trying to control themselves with little success. There were only a handful of them who were completely immune to Roxas's scent, no matter how potent it was.

Zexion saw Axel's muscles tense and knew that it was coming, but nothing could have prepared him for what happened next. Axel hurled himself across the room and grabbed Roxas as the Breeders finally lost it. There were howls and feral growls as the Breeders tried to get across the room towards Roxas. The guards were holding them back, but it didn't seem like it would last for long. Axel grabbed Roxas by the hand and pulled him up.

"Let's go," he hissed, then sprinted for the door, dragging Roxas along with him. The Breeders beat the guards down and swarmed. All hell broke loose. Axel and Roxas made it out the door and sprinted down the corridors. Roxas was too frightened to protest. Axel rounded a corner and nearly ran into two guards. They had syringes with them. One of them lifted one threateningly but Roxas stepped forward.  
"Leave him alone," he commanded. "He's my mate."

The guards looked at each other, surprised.

"It's all right," Xemnas unexpectedly said from behind the guards. "Let them go. Axel is Roxas's mate." The guards let the two boys pass. "Hurry! Axel, you know what to do."

Axel nodded. He pulled Roxas along. "Come on. Do you want them to catch us?!" Roxas silently shook his head and ran faster. They rounded another corridor and unexpectedly stopped.

"In here." Axel shoved Roxas through a doorway and looked around before following. He slammed the door shut and locked it. He flipped the lights on. They were in a small square room with nothing besides a bed and a window that had the blinds closed. Roxas looked around, then back at Axel.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

Axel stepped forward. "We have sex."

Roxas felt his heart would explode in his chest from beating so fast when Axel came close to him. They stared into each other's eyes. Axel leaned in and tilted his head slightly sideways. Roxas closed his eyes as Axel kissed him.

"Just let your instincts take over," he urged, pulling away.

He kissed Roxas again. Roxas closed his eyes. Axel could feel his muscles relax. He brought up Roxas's shirt and was surprised when the blond-haired boy lifted his arms so it could be removed. Axel let the shirt drop. Roxas opened his sapphire eyes. He gazed calmly at Axel and he knew that Roxas was letting his instincts take over. He couldn't help smiling and kissed him again. They walked backwards, still kissing until Roxas's legs hit the bed. Roxas didn't even need to be asked. He detangled himself from Axel and laid down submissively. Axel crawled on top of him, brushing lightly against Roxas's growing erection. He kissed Roxas's pale neck and then ran his tongue over Roxas's nipples. He toyed with them, making them hard. Roxas moaned and ran his fingers through Axel's long tangled locks. His mouth moved lower and he kissed Roxas's belly while his hands worked to free Roxas from his pants. That done, he slid Roxas's pants down his narrow hips. His boxers soon followed and he blushed at being exposed to the older boy like that. He had not been exposed to anyone like that before. Axel removed his own clothing and reached down to touch the boy to prepare him for what he was about to do. Roxas shivered lightly at the touch and his eyes remained focused on Axel as slid forward. He cried out softly as Axel penetrated him, tightly gripping his shoulders. Axel paused.

"Are you all right Roxas?" he asked, concern filling his green eyes.

"Yes," Roxas breathed. "I'm...fine." He kissed Axel's lips.

Axel rocked against him, thrusting deep. Roxas moaned and dug his fingers into Axel's shoulders. He arched his back, closing the distance between them. Axel finally came, releasing his seed into Roxas. Panting, he withdrew and laid next to his mate. Roxas rested his head against Axel's bare chest and slipped into unconsciousness. Meanwhile, Axel covered both their naked bodies with a blanket and watched his mate sleep.

--

Roxas woke up alone; Axel had already dressed and left. He left a note for Roxas, written in his long, neat handwriting:

This changes nothing.

Roxas's fist curled around the paper.

_That heartless bastard!_ He thought. Drawing in several shaking breaths, he rose and threw the blanket off his body. He fought back his burning tears as he pulled his clothes on. He stowed the note in his pocket and opened the door. The hall was deserted. He cautiously went out, praying that he didn't meet any Breeders on the way back to the dormitory. Thankfully, there was no one. The other Bearers were in the dormitory when he got there. Everyone looked up at him anxiously but only Zexion and Demyx ran over to him.

"Whew you stink!" Demyx declared, wrinkling his nose.

"Demyx!" Zexion smacked him.

"Owww will ya stop hitting me Zex? You're gonna give me brain damage!" Demyx muttered, ruefully rubbing his head.

"You deserve it," Zexion said, glaring. He turned to Roxas. "What he means to say is that you smell…rather strongly of him."

Roxas laughed. "It's all right. I know I stink. I really need to take a shower. I can't believe how dirty I feel."  
"Yeah, that sometimes happens after that. You'll get used to it."  
"I sure hope so."

Roxas smiled and went to take a shower. He felt much better afterwards and even better when he was able to put clean clothes on. He took Axel's note out of his other clothes before throwing them in the hamper with the rest of his dirty clothes. He sat on his bottom bunk, sighing softly in relief.

"Feeling better?" Zexion asked.

"Yes. Much better," Roxas replied. He glanced over at the Breeder's side of the dormitories and saw that most of them were asleep.

"They had to sedate the majority of the Breeders because the guards couldn't subdue them," Demyx said at a whisper. Roxas was looking…or rather glaring at his mate.  
_Now what did Axel do?_ Zexion wondered silently. _Do I even need to ask?_

When the few Breeders who were actually awake and the Bearers went to dinner, Roxas stayed behind and Zexion did as well.

"So," Zexion pronounced, sitting on the bed next to Roxas. "What did Axel do this time?"

Roxas looked at him curiously. "Don't think I didn't see you give him a tremendous glare. What did he do?"

Roxas sighed softly. "It's not what he did that's the problem, it's what he didn't do."

"I'm not following."

Roxas reached into his pocket and pulled out a note. He silently handed it to Zexion who quickly skimmed it.

"That bastard," Zexion growled, handing the note back to him. "What the hell is his problem?"  
"Who knows." Roxas shrugged. "All I'm sure of is that something has caused Axel's heart to freeze shut. I wish I knew what it was so I could help him."

To be continued…

A/N: I completely rewrote the big sex scene. I hated how it turned out so I decided to rewrite it. I never finished the original rewrite but I finally managed to finish it for this so now I'll probably go back and rewrite the original scene as well. I hope it's okay. I'm not very good at writing those kinds of scenes. Reviews help me to update faster.


	6. Chapter 6

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II.

_I woke up one winter night in excruciating agony. It was the end of my pregnancy, I knew at once._

"_Hayden, It's time," I moaned. Hayden was up at once. He lit a candle and helped me into the birthing room. I laid down on the bed and removed my pants and underclothes while Hayden got ready. He came back with several more candles, looking pale, but determined. He spread my legs apart and put two fingers inside me. There was a faint popping sound and a clear liquid gushed out. I gasped audibly._

"_Don't worry," Hayden said soothingly. "That's normal. You look good so far."_

"_That's good," I gasped, overcome with a wave of pain. Hayden headed for the door. "Don't leave me!" _

"_I have to get some more towels. I'll be right back. I promise."_

_It seemed like an eternity before Hayden returned with an armload of towels (we were given survival packs that survived the apocalypse containing things such as towels, matches, a pocket knife, and so on). As the night wore on, the labor pains got more and more intense. Hayden stayed by my side and comforted me. Every once in a while, he would check my progress. Finally, it was time to push. Hayden helped me to sit up and spread my legs apart. I pushed as hard as I could. Tears stung my eyes and I pushed and pushed._

"_Come on," Hayden encouraged softly. "I know you can do it."_

_I felt like I was going to rip. The world seemed to spin around me as I panted and sweated. Finally, it was over. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the pillows as I listened to our new son as Hayden cleaned him. Finally, he laid him in my arms. I opened my eyes and stared down at the tiny little creature. It was all red and wrinkly, but he was my baby. My son. I scarcely noticed Hayden cleaning me up and pulling my pants back on. I just stared at our son. _

_--_

Chapter 6

Life at The Institute settled down again after Roxas's first heat though Roxas's heat was talked about for weeks afterwards. Strangely, everything felt normal again including Roxas and Axel's attitudes towards each other. They either ignored each other completely or glared daggers at each other. However, Zexion, among others knew that all was not well between them.

_I have a bad feeling that the drama is only beginning_. Zexion thought darkly as he watched Roxas throw away his uneaten food. He had been refusing food ever since he had gotten over his first heat. The truth was that he was having difficulty keeping anything down; anything he ate he just threw up again. Zexion was worried, of course, but Roxas had refused point-blank to see a doctor, insisting that he was fine.

--

The three friends sat in the dormitory during their free time one afternoon, chatting happily. Then, all of a sudden, Roxas's eyes rolled back into his head, and he slumped forward.

"Oh my god Roxas!" Demyx screamed.

"Don't panic," Zexion said sharply. He rose from his seat, knelt down next to Roxas, and took his wrist. "Okay. He still has a pulse. Demyx, help me turn him on his back. Be very gentle." With very little difficulty, they turned Roxas on his back. There was no color in his cheeks. Zexion looked up. "Rei, go and get the guards. Tell them to alert the medical staff. Hurry!"

The young Bearer he was addressing nodded and quickly left. Demyx knelt down beside Zexion.

"Tell me what I can do," he said softly.

"See if you can get Roxas to wake up," Zexion replied, throwing a nervous glance at the glass wall.

The Breeders hadn't come back from their afternoon lessons yet. How much time did that give them? Once the Breeders saw what was going on, they'd get antsy and when they got antsy, one of them always snapped. It was just how it was.

Zexion returned his gaze to Roxas when he heard Demyx start trying to rouse him. Several long minutes passed. Rei hurried back with several guards and several of the Medical Staff on his heels.

"Roxas!" Demyx snapped, giving the boy a rough shake. Roxas's sapphire eyes opened partially.

"Huh?" he asked dazedly.

Are you all right?" one of the Medical Staff asked, stepping forward.

"Don't…know," Roxas managed to choke out before his eyes slid closed again.

"No, come on Roxas. Open your eyes," Zexion said, gently shaking the boy's chest. Roxas mumbled something incoherently but remained unconscious.

"Go and get a stretcher. We need to move him to the medical facilities right away," one of the Medical Staff ordered. Zexion's face paled dramatically.

"Don't worry," the man from the Medical Staff said reassuringly. "This is just a precaution."

Zexion and Demyx nodded though they didn't feel reassured at all.

Roxas was moved from the dormitories by stretcher. Zexion and Demyx silently trailed behind him. They saw the Breeders returning from their lessons just as they were leaving, causing several of them to do a double take and whisper among themselves. Zexion was suddenly glad to be going with Roxas away from them. Once they reached the medical facilities, Roxas was taken into the back room and Zexion and Demyx were forced to wait in the reception area with only the receptionist for company.

Nearly four hours passed since Roxas had been taken away and there was still no word on how he was doing. Zexion and Demyx sat waiting in silence, holding hands. Finally, the door next to the receptionist swung open and a lone doctor strode out. Zexion and Demyx automatically rose and hurried over to him.

"How is he?" Zexion asked.

"What's wrong with him?" Demyx demanded at the same time.

"Roxas is okay. He's severely dehydrated so we'll be keeping him for a few days. And…" the doctor sighed softly and rubbed his forehead. "He's pregnant."  
"What?!" Demyx cried.

Zexion gave a low whistle. "His first time. Bet Axel's gonna love that."  
"Yes, we're just as stunned as you are. I don't think we've ever seen such fertility in someone before. This was his first heat after all, isn't that right?"  
"Yes," Zexion answered with a nod.

"Since he hasn't been able to keep anything down, he's become severely dehydrated, as I said before," the doctor continued.

"We never even thought of that," Zexion murmured. "We just thought it was the flu or something."  
"It's all right," the doctor said sympathetically. "None of us were expecting it either. We're going to keep him here until the morning sickness subsides and his health improves. Other than that, everything looks good. The baby's gender remains unknown at this time, but that'll come with time."  
"When is it due?" Demyx asked curiously.

"Mid-February."

"Does Roxas know?" Zexion asked. The doctor nodded. "How is he taking it?"  
"Not very well, I'm afraid." The doctor sighed softly.

"May we see him?"  
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea right now."

"Doctor, please," Zexion begged. "Roxas is like our brother. He's very precious to us."  
"All right," the doctor said reluctantly. "Come with me."  
The doctor led them through the door and down the corridors. They came to an examination room. The doctor knocked and then entered. Demyx and Zexion followed.

"How are you feeling Roxas?" the doctor asked.

Roxas gave a low groan. "I wanna curl up and die."

"Now we can't have you doing that." The doctor chuckled. "Your friends are here to see you."

He stepped to the side and allowed Demyx and Zexion to rush forward. Roxas was propped up against several pillows, tubes running into his arm and nose. He looked exhausted, although his eyes glittered.

"Oh Roxas!" Demyx breathed.

Axel tried to smile. "I'm all right." His hand absentmindedly went to his abdomen. "Sort of…"

"Axel is so gonna freak when he finds out," Zexion whispered, his eyes wide.

"I know," Roxas responded.

"You're gonna tell him, right?" Zexion asked. Roxas hesitated. "Roxas, you have to tell him. He has the right to know as your mate." Roxas made a face. "I know he's a cold hearted bastard, but he's still your mate. You need to tell him."  
Roxas made another face. "All right, I'll tell him…as soon as they let me out of here."

--

Roxas wasn't released from the medical facility for nearly six weeks. The doctors wanted to make sure that he was properly nourished before letting him go. Even so, he was given strict instructions to not overexert himself in his condition.

"Don't worry, doctor," Zexion said as he, Demyx, and the doctor waited for Roxas to get dressed behind a muslin curtain. "We're going to make sure that he follows your instructions or else." Zexion glared at Roxas as he pushed the curtain aside and stepped out.

"I think I've given you everything you need. Make sure you don't forget to come and see me in a couple of weeks for your checkup," the doctor said.

Roxas nodded. "All right. I won't forget. I promise."  
"And we'll make sure of it," Demyx spoke up.

They bid farewell to the doctor and left the medical facility. They silently made their way back to the dormitories.

"Well, the doctor has ordered you to stay off your feet as much as possible. We're going to make sure you're going to do that. The doctor said that you can go to classes as long as you take it easy. But for now, get in bed," Zexion ordered.

Roxas glared at him. "Hold on. There's something I need to do first." He took in a deep breath and left the dormitories. Zexion and Demyx trailed behind him. They knew where he was going though they hardly dared to believe that it was true. Roxas was trembling slightly as he entered the dormitories of the Breeders. Bearers were not forbidden from entering the dormitories, though no one was brave enough to visit them. When Roxas entered, all the Breeders looked up. Some of them hooted as Roxas crossed the room. Axel's green eyes were wide with shock as he saw Roxas come towards him. He rose and scowled as the Breeders hooted even more. The Breeders fell silent.

"Can I talk to you? Privately?" Roxas asked.

"Okay," Axel replied.

The two of them went into the hallway. Zexion and Demyx were there.

"Why the hell are you here?" Axel hissed, ignoring Zexion and Demyx.  
"I needed to tell you in person," Roxas answered, refusing to look up at Axel, nearly a head taller than him now.

"Tell me what?" Axel asked, calming down slightly.

Zexion and Demyx both held their breath as Roxas prepared to tell his mate the big news.  
"Axel, I'm going to have a baby."

"What….are you serious?"

Roxas finally looked up, tears streaking down his face. That was all the answer Axel needed. He backed away, his eyes wide.

"Oh my god," he breathed. He looked from Roxas to Zexion and Demyx, whose faces were serious. He continued backing away. "I…I don't know what to say." He returned to the dormitories. Zexion sighed softly.

"Well, that could have gone better," Demyx muttered, rubbing his forehead.

"Shush!" Zexion hissed, nodding at Roxas, who was crying softly.

"Oh. Whoops."

"Roxas," Zexion said softly, stepping forward. "Let's go back to the dormitories, huh?" He wrapped his arm around Roxas's body. Sniffing softly, Roxas nodded and began walking back to the dormitories. Demyx trailed behind, looking apologetic. Once back, Zexion forced Roxas to sit on his bed. After a few moments, Roxas calmed down and regained his cool composure.

"Do you have any suggestions on what I can do while I'm bed ridden?" he asked.

"Yes. Read," Zexion replied, tossing his History book at the blond-haired boy. Roxas made a face at him but willingly cracked the book open he had neglected for so long and began reading:

Harou's first heat came at the age of fourteen. For all males who bore children, it would come at this age. It came at the middle of the night. The following is an excerpt from the diary of Harou depicting his first heat:

_I woke up sweating and panting one night and knew that my first heat had come. Hayden did what he could to soothe me, but he knew as well as I did that the only way to stop it was through sex._

"_Harou," he murmured, smoothing down my hair. "You know the time has come."  
"Yes," I breathed. "We have to break the biggest taboo by having sexual intercourse. I must bear your children."_

_Hayden kissed my forehead, then his lips found mine. _

"_It feels weird," he murmured, pulling away momentarily. "It feels like I'm going to have sex with myself."_

"_It can't be helped," I whispered. "We just have to do it."_

_Hayden nodded and his lips found mine again. I opened my mouth and his tongue searched my mouth. Slowly, lovingly, he peeled my clothing off and gently traced my skin. _

"_Are you going to take me or not?" I growled, thrusting my hips up. I could feel the eagerness in his pants. He pulled them down and thrust forward. The moment our bodies connected, the moment I had him inside me, I knew my soul was complete. It was how it was meant to be. I would want no other in my life time as he would want no one but me. He seemed to realize it and became more eager. He slid further and further inside me, growling lustfully as our rocking became harder and harder. His tongue left my mouth and trailed down my neck._ _His teeth gently nipped at my skin, marking me as his and his alone. I laughed softly as I traced my fingers through his silky hair. I had forgotten that we were twins. That was not important anymore-we were lovers. That was all._

_He finally pulled out of me, both of us needing rest. He kept one arm draped lazily around my waist as we slept. _

Roxas made a face. "That's really graphic."

"Yeah, well it only gets more graphic. Harou kept a really good journal and it was found in perfect condition. They apparently used it to write our History book."

"Well I think they did a good job. Even though it's rather…graphic."

"I thought it was great," Demyx said. Zexion smacked him in the head. "Goddamnitall Zex will you stop hitting me?!"

"Pervert," Zexion muttered. Roxas laughed. Zexion and Demyx looked at each other in amazement.

"What?" Roxas asked.

"I think it's the first time you've laughed out loud," Zexion replied.  
"Yeah, you've given us your pretty smile a lot but you've never laughed," Demyx added. Zexion smacked him again. "Ow Zex what was that for?!"

"For being an idiot," Zexion replied. Roxas laughed some more.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

Identity

_Our son grew fast. We called him Bryan and he was the most adorable child ever. As he grew, Hayden and I knew that the time would soon come when he would require a mate, so we laid together. Instead of a daughter, we received another son, Jayden. It would be years before a daughter would be born to us and by then, it was too late; Bryan and Jayden had already become sexually active. Bryan was fourteen and Jayden was thirteen. We were going to break them apart when a miracle took place. Jayden became pregnant._

Chapter 7

Three months passed in quick succession. One day, Roxas was dragged into the medical facility for his checkup with the doctor by Zexion and Demyx. After a short wait, the three of them were shown into the back by a nurse. She checked Roxas's blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. She declared that they were just fine, she left and said that the doctor would be in shortly. Roxas stared blankly at the opposite wall. Demyx fidgeted impatiently and Zexion glared at him to stop. Finally, the doctor entered.

"Ah Roxas. Good to see you again," he said, smiling warmly. He shook Roxas's hand. Then, he turned to Demyx and Zexion. "And…?"

"Demyx and Zexion," Zexion said. "We're friends of Roxas."

"Glad to meet you."

"Same."  
The doctor turned back to Roxas. "I need you to put this gown on." He held out a flimsy paper gown. Roxas groaned softly but nodded. The doctor stepped out to give him privacy but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Zexion and Demyx to leave. However, they did turn around. The doctor knocked and came in after Roxas had finished changing. He did an examination that made both Zexion and Demyx cringe.

"Okay I'm going to do the ultrasound now," the doctor announced. "I'm going to put the gel on your abdomen. It's going to feel a little cold."

"All right." Roxas jumped slightly when the gel touched his skin. The doctor turned on a machine and began the ultrasound.

"Here we are." The doctor pointed to the ultrasound. "There's the baby's head…and you see that? It's the spinal cord."

"Oh my god," Roxas breathed, tears in his eyes. "My baby."

"Just a second…let me take a look here…ah yes. It looks like you're carrying a baby boy. Congratulations."

"A boy?" Roxas whispered. He smiled. "A baby boy."

_Perhaps this will please Axel if I bear him a son. Sons are most desired here._ He thought. He smiled to himself. _Knowing Axel, he won't care either way. _

The doctor turned off the ultrasound machine and gave Roxas a towel so he could wipe the goo off his belly. He pulled his shirt down as the doctor took the towel and wiped the goo off his hands.

"Well Roxas, it looks like the baby is nice and healthy. He's growing quite nicely. Come back to see me in a couple weeks for another checkup, okay?"

"Okay." Roxas nodded.

He, Zexion, and Demyx left. They were just in time for lunch.

"You two go ahead," Zexion told them. "I…I'll catch up, okay?"

"Okay. Are you okay?" Roxas looked at him, concerned.

Zexion smiled at him. "I'm fine. I'm just a little bit tired."

Roxas and Demyx reluctantly left. Zexion was alone in the dormitories. He sank down against one of the walls and put his face in his knees. The sobs came quietly at first, then grew louder as he lost control of his emotions. His hands tightly gripped the material of his pants as he sobbed loudly.

"Zex?" a soft voice asked.

There were footsteps, footsteps that Zexion knew well. He didn't look up as someone sat next to him. An arm wrapped itself around his waist and drew him close. He didn't ask. He didn't need to. He leaned against the broad shoulder, his eyes shut tightly to block out the rest of the world. Soon, his sobs quieted and he opened his eyes. Demyx was peering at him, a worried expression on his face. He didn't need to ask; the question was in his expression.

"I'm fine," Zexion said, drawing in a deep breath.

"No, you aren't." Demyx's tone was gentle. "I know you, Zex. Are you…jealous that Roxas got pregnant his first time?"

"No!" Zexion immediately denied. "I…I…I…"

"You're jealous. It's okay to admit it."

Zexion nodded "I…I just don't think it's fair! Roxas's pregnant and his mate doesn't even care about him. And I…I've been barren since I arrived here. It's just not fair! I don't want to be jealous of Roxas. He's a sweet boy, the sweetest kid I've ever met."  
"Yeah." Demyx nodded in agreement.

"He doesn't deserve Axel," Zexion continued. "He deserves so much better than him but yet he's stuck with him, and now he's pregnant. He's become like my little brother. I guess I am a bit jealous that that bastard Axel managed to get Roxas pregnant when my mate and I have been struggling to have a child for over a year. It just hurts…knowing that Roxas will carry a child, an honor that all of us dream of."

"I know." Demyx gently stroked Zexion's hair.  
"I want to forget about all of this."

"I know Zex."

Zexion turned to Demyx. "Will you help me forget?"

"If you want me to." Zexion nodded. Demyx leaned in closer. "I don't want you regretting this, okay?"

"I won't."

Zexion's breath tickled Demyx's throat. Cerulean eyes locked on aquamarine. Two pairs of lips touched. A forbidden kiss. Surprisingly, Zexion was the one who deepened it. He wanted, no, he needed this kiss. They broke apart for air. Zexion brought Demyx's head closer. Demyx slipped his tongue between Zexion's teeth, exploring every inch of the other's mouth.

"We…can't," Zexion wheezed as Demyx's mouth left his and trailed down his neck, playfully nipping it.

"I know," Demyx murmured, nuzzling Zexion's neck. "I know you don't want to betray your mate and I don't want to either, but I can still hold you, right?"

"Yeah," Zexion replied, his voice muffled in Demyx's shirt.

Demyx wrapped his arms around Zexion's thin form and held him close for several minutes. When he pulled away, he was smiling.

"I'm hungry. You comin' Zex?" he asked. He was back to his normal self, as if nothing had just happened between the two of them.

Zexion shook his head. "I'm…going to lie down for a little while. I'm not feeling too hot."

"You okay?" Demyx's aquamarine eyes were filled with concern.

"Yeah." Zexion nodded. "I just think it's almost time for my heat."

"Well if that's true, you'd better come to the cafeteria then so Saix can get a whiff of your scent and you can go and do your thing."

Zexion sighed softly. He knew Demyx was right. Reluctantly, he got up and followed Demyx down the halls to the cafeteria. He immediately felt uncomfortable when he walked through the double doors; everyone was staring at him, and it wasn't just because he was late. Flashes of Roxas's first heat ran through his head as he took his place next to the young Bearer. He prayed that things didn't happen like that again.

"Zexion? What's going on?" Roxas asked timidly.

"Zex's in heat," Demyx answered so Zexion wouldn't have to. "Do you smell that?" Roxas nodded. "That's Zexion's scent. Each Bearer gives off a unique scent that attracts their mate. Of course, it usually winds up attracting all the other Breeders in the room, but that can't be helped. They're sex-starved teenagers."

"It's like what happened with Axel and me?" Roxas wondered.

Demyx nodded. "Exactly like what happened with you and Axel."

"And the end result is the same too," Zexion said through clenched teeth.

Roxas looked at him curiously.

"Zex doesn't really get along with his mate. It's not as bad as you and Axel, but Zex isn't exactly on the best terms with Saix."  
"Yeah well you wouldn't either if you were in my position," Zexion hissed. "He's not exactly gentle with me. I'm always extremely sore afterwards." Roxas flushed when he realized what Zexion was talking about.

The dark-haired boy didn't eat much at lunch; he was too nervous. At long last, lunch ended and the Bearers and Breeders went to their afternoon lessons.

"Good luck," Roxas murmured as he left with Demyx.

"Let's hope I can still walk after this," Zexion muttered.

He stood waiting on his side of the room until Saix came over flanked by a handful of guards. They were there for Zexion's protection. Neither of them said anything as they walked to the breeding rooms. Saix entered first, then Zexion. The guards closed the door. Once again, Zexion was all alone with his mate. He waited patiently for Saix to make the first move. That was always how it was; the more dominant of the pair made the first move.

Saix stepped forward and gently cupped Zexion's chin, bringing it up so their lips were equal. The kiss was slow at first but quickly grew passionate. Zexion was left breathless as Saix's tongue ran down his neck, forcefully sucking on the skin. Zexion closed his eyes and didn't open them until he felt Saix tugging on his shirt. He obediently lifted his arms so his mate could remove it. He removed Saix's shirt and they went to the bed. Both of them kicked off their shoes and socks and lay on the bed, Zexion on the bottom and Saix on top. Saix placed hot kisses on Zexion's neck and chest. He squirmed slightly as Saix's mouth found his nipples and toyed with them, licking and nipping at them until they were hardened.

Zexion sighed inwardly. Saix always played with him before taking him. Zexion closed his eyes as he felt Saix's hands slide down his body. He always purposely kept his eyes closed while they were having sex because he couldn't look his mate in the eye. Saix didn't mind—he was more into the sex than anything. As long as he got his way with Zexion, he was happy.

Saix's hands brought down the rest of Zexion's clothing, leaving him exposed to the older boy. He heard the rustling of material as Saix removed the last bits of clothing that separated the two of them. Skin touched skin. Zexion felt Saix's heated flesh pinned against his thigh. Saix shifted his position and Zexion felt him spread his legs. There was a slight pause and then Saix rammed into him. He gave a low gasp. Saix rammed harder and harder. Zexion's mind went blank. His body enjoyed Saix's thrusting and almost instinctively, he arched his back, shortening the distance between them. His arms tightly gripped Saix's shoulders and his breathing came in short pants. Saix was clearly enjoying it, as was evident from his howls and moans of pleasure. Finally he came, bursting his seed into Zexion. He withdrew quickly, causing Zexion to experience a sharp pain. He hissed sorely. Saix didn't seem to notice. He dressed and left without saying anything to his mate. Zexion curled up into a tight ball.

To be continued…

A/N: I know that seemed sort of one-sided but that was the point. Zexion's mate doesn't care about anything except the sex. As long as he can get sex, then he's happy. And you thought Axel was cold…

Yay, finally some ZexionxDemyx. Then I had to ruin it by throwing in a sex scene between Saix and Zexion. Sigh.


	8. Chapter 8

Identity

_It was pretty hard to believe that I was already going to be a grandfather and I was only twenty-eight years old, but Jayden was pregnant. It was fairly easy to see after a while. His belly grew out just like I had been when I was pregnant with him and all his other brothers. _

_In July, our second daughter was born, Gabrielle. And in September, Jayden gave birth to our first grandson, Anatole. _

_Hayden and I realized when Jayden became pregnant that our ability to become pregnant was transferred genetically to our male offspring, however it was a while before we were able to understand just how it was transferred from one generation to the next and even then, we weren't able to predict any sort of a pattern. We never knew if our male child would be able to bear children or not. One consistency that we found was that the temperaments of the males able to bear were more gentle and submissive. But besides that, there was no way for us to tell if our son would be able to bear children or not. _

Chapter 8

Roxas stared as several guards dragged Zexion into the dormitories after dinner.

"What are you…oh my god!" Demyx nearly passed out when he saw Zexion. He and Roxas ran forward. Zexion lay in a heap on the ground. "Zex!"

Zexion muttered something unintelligible. Roxas and Demyx knelt down and glanced at each other before they seized Zexion's arms. Zexion was awake though his cerulean eyes were glazed. The first thing they noticed was the smell. Zexion smelled heavily of sex and slightly of his mate.

"Zex? Zex honey are you all right?" Demyx asked.

Zexion turned his head so he was looking directly at his friend.

"Yeah. I'm all right," he answered in a dazed tone.

"Come on. I'm going to take you to the showers."

"No…I'm okay."  
"Babe, you're barely standing up by yourself." Demyx turned. "Roxas hon, could you go into Zexion's trunk and get out some fresh clothes for me?"  
Roxas nodded. He slipped out from underneath Zexion's arm and went to the bed. He felt bad for snooping through Zexion's personal things, but he didn't have a choice. Zexion's trunk was fairly organized, making his clothes easy to find. He lifted up a pair of pants, a shirt, and a pair of boxers. He brought them to the bathroom and walked past the rows of toilets and sinks to the showers. One of them was running, the door slightly ajar.

"Demyx?" Roxas called.

"Come in Roxas. The door is open," Demyx called back.

Roxas pushed the door open with his foot. Feeling slightly nervous, he went in. The shower consisted of a small changing area with a bench and a shower with no curtain. Roxas put the clothes on the bench next to a towel and looked up. Instantly, a blush grew across his face; Zexion was completely naked, being supported by a half-naked Demyx. They were standing sideways, water dripping down their bodies. Zexion looked incredibly lost. Roxas could see bite marks on his neck and horrible bruises on his lower body and winced. Demyx turned off the shower and hauled Zexion out of the shower. He sat him on the bench and started drying him off. Zexion didn't utter a word of protest. He flinched slightly when Demyx touched the bite marks on his neck, but didn't say anything. He moved uncomfortably as Demyx moved lower.

"Easy there Zex," Demyx murmured. "I'm not gonna hurt you." He finished drying off Zexion and helped him into his clean clothes. He turned. "Hey Roxas, can you give me a hand here?"

Roxas nodded and moved forward. He and Demyx grabbed Zexion by the arms and helped him back to the dormitories. They laid him in his bed.

"Got to sleep Zex. We'll be right here when you wake up," Demyx said soothingly.

Zexion nodded and closed his eyes. Demyx found a chair and placed it next to Zexion's bunk. He was about to sit down when he felt a warm hand on his back. He turned, surprised. It was Roxas.

"I'll stay up with him," he said softly.

Demyx shook his head. "In your condition…"  
"I'll be fine," Roxas interrupted. "I'm probably not going to be able to sleep anyway."

"Why?" Demyx asked.

"A lot to think about," Roxas mumbled.

Demyx stared at Roxas's middle. "Yeah." Although the blond didn't completely show it yet, Demyx knew that Roxas's clothing were starting to get tighter. He didn't feel right about letting the pregnant boy go without sleep, but Roxas was stubborn. Demyx knew he'd get his way whether he'd like it or not. Reluctantly, the brunette went to bed.

--

Zexion woke up the next morning slightly confused and in a lot of pain. He bit back a low groan as he sat up. Suddenly, two hands grabbed him by the arms and forced him to lie back down.

"Easy Zex," a very familiar voice murmured.

Zexion had no choice by to obey. He laid back down and closed his eyes for a few seconds in an attempt to remember what had happened. After a while, he opened them again and stared directly into Demyx's sea green eyes.

"My mate and I…did it, didn't we?" he asked.

"Yes Zex," Demyx said soothingly. "You couldn't walk so the guards dragged you back. Roxas and I took care of you."  
"Roxas?" Zexion asked.

"Shh." Demyx pointed down. Zexion looked. Roxas was kneeling next to the bed, his head resting on his arms centimeters away from Zexion's thigh. He was sleeping. "I didn't have the heart to move him."  
"How long has he been like that?"

Demyx shrugged. "I dunno. Since last night I guess. He stayed up all night with you."  
"He shouldn't have. He should have gotten sleep. In his condition, he needs all the sleep he can get."

"Don't you think I know that?" Demyx snapped. "But you know how stubborn he can be."

"Mmm," Roxas said softly. He lifted his head and slowly opened his sapphire eyes. He looked at Demyx first, followed by Zexion. "Zexion, you're awake."

"Yeah." Zexion nodded.  
"Ho w are you feeling?"

"Better. Much better."

"Sore?" Demyx asked.

"A little," Zexion admitted, his face flushed.

"Well, if you eat breakfast, I can give you these." Demyx opened his hand and revealed two small innocent-looking pills.

"Are those…?" Zexion breathed.

"Yup. Painkillers," Demyx said proudly.

"How did you get them?" Zexion asked, looking at his friend suspiciously.

"Oh I have my ways," Demyx answered mysteriously. He closed his hand around the pills. "But you've gotta eat breakfast first. You can't take these on an empty stomach."

"I know." Zexion sighed softly.

Demyx put a hand on Roxas's shoulder. "Why don't you go and get changed for breakfast?" Roxas looked like he was about to protest. "Don't worry about Zexion. I'll look after him. I've done this before."

"Okay," Roxas said reluctantly.

He turned and walked to his bunk. He pulled a clean outfit from his trunk and pulled his wrinkled clothes off. His hand absently strayed to his middle and ran over the taut skin. According to the doctor, he was four months pregnant. His belly was only beginning to show and it was minimal. He sighed softly and pulled his clothes on. By the time he returned to Zexion's bunk, the raven-haired boy had gotten up and was getting dressed with help from Demyx. Zexion absently touched the bite mark on his neck and shivered. Demyx wrapped his arm around him and led him to the door. They and the rest of the Bearers went to the cafeteria. Everyone stared at Zexion, who was being supported by Demyx.

"Saix must have reamed him pretty hard for him to be limping like that," Riku muttered.

"Yeah," Axel replied distractedly, staring elsewhere.

Sora followed his eyes and found that he was staring at his mate. The pregnant teen was sitting on one side of Zexion eating. The three boys were silent. Demyx ate with much enthusiasm, Roxas politely chewed his food, and Zexion, who sat between them, only picked at his food. Demyx leaned over and murmured something in Zexion's ear. Zexion scowled and started eating. When his plate was clean, Roxas stood up and took away all three plates. Axel followed Roxas's every movement, although he mostly stared at Roxas's belly. Even from across the room they could see that he was starting to get a bump. Sora silently watched as Demyx slipped Zexion something though he couldn't see exactly what it was. Sora supposed that it was something for the pain Zexion was obviously in. At the end of breakfast, they went to their lessons, as usual. Sora sat with Zexion, Demyx, and Roxas.

He addressed Roxas first. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Roxas answered with a small smile. "The nausea is finally gone."  
"That's good." Sora's eyes strayed to Roxas's slightly bulging stomach.

"He's…kicking me. Would you like to feel?" Roxas said.

Sora's eyes lit up. "You don't mind?!"

Roxas smiled. "Not at all."

Sora gently pressed his hand against Roxas's belly. At first, he didn't feel anything, but then he felt a faint fluttering, followed by a definitive kick.

"Ooh I feel him!" he cried. Roxas smiled as he withdrew his hand. "So you're sure it's a boy?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "The doctor did an ultrasound yesterday. Can you…can you tell Axel that I'm carrying his son?"

Sora nodded. "I will." He turned to Zexion. His expression was gentle. "What about you Zexion? Are you okay?"

Zexion shrugged. "I'm surviving somehow."

"Saix was rough again, wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"All right. Let's have order in here," the teacher snapped, walking into the classroom. Everyone fell silent at once.

The morning classes went by without incident, as did lunch. Mr. Lexaeus approached Roxas during the afternoon classes to have a private conversation with him, as had been their custom since everyone had learned that Roxas was pregnant.

"So you went to the doctor yesterday?" Mr. Lexaeus asked.

"Yes." Roxas nodded. "He said that the baby is healthy and growing nicely."

"Good. Very good." Mr. Lexaeus smiled.

"And…" Roxas said softly, his hand straying to his slight bulge. Mr. Lexaeus looked at him inquisitively. "He did an ultrasound. I…I'm carrying a son."

"Oh Roxas," Mr. Lexaeus breathed. "That's…well that's wonderful. Of course, we won't be able to tell if he's a Bearer or not until after he's born."  
"How will you know?" Roxas blurted out.

Mr. Lexaeus smiled. "It's quite simple. If he's a Bearer, his reproductive system will be different. It won't be developed, of course, but the doctor will be able to see a definite womb."

"Oh."  
"You won't have to worry about that for another four months." Mr. Lexaeus's eyes quickly scanned Roxas's body. "It looks like you've put on some weight."

Roxas blushed. "Yes. My clothes are starting to feel a little tight."

"We'll have to arrange for some maternity clothes to be brought for you. We haven't had a pregnancy here at The Institute for a very long time. You don't realize it right now, but you've given hope to the other Bearers. Maybe this streak of infertility will finally be at an end."

"I hope so," Roxas murmured.

--

_He was six years old. His father was yelling at his mother for one reason or another. He didn't really know. He huddled in the shadows, praying his father didn't notice him._

"_Boy!" his father bellowed._

_His breath caught in his throat and he scrambled to his feet. He hurried forward to where his father was waiting.  
"Y…yes sir?" he stammered. _

"_Clean yourself up," his father snapped. "We're having guests."  
"Yes sir." He nodded and rushed to the back of the small house where his mother was cleaning herself up._

"_Oh Axel," she said when he entered. "Hurry and clean yourself up. Your father is expecting some company soon. Wash your face."  
"Yes mama," he murmured. He scrubbed his face until his mother was satisfied it was clean and then waited patiently as his mother untangled his long red hair. Finally, she finished and the two of them went to the front of the house to wait for their guests to arrive._

_He didn't understand when some of his father's male guests started raping his mouther. He was much too young to understand what was going on. When he heard his mother screaming, he became very angry. He rushed forward and swung his fists around. At six, he was not very frightening and the men were at least three times his size, but they seemed to find him amusing. They chuckled and stopped raping his mother._

"_Look at this," one of the men chuckled._

"_Leave my mother alone," he demanded._

_The men only laughed._

"_Your son is very angry," a second man noted._

"_I apologize Sephiroth," his father said. "He doesn't know his place."_

"_No, it's all right," Sephiroth replied. "I find it amusing, actually." He cupped Axel's cheek with one of his huge hands. Axel turned his head in disgust. "Look at me." Axel responded by giving the man a good kick in the shin. The man grunted and sent Axel flying across the room. "He's spirited, that's for sure. He's got a mean kick too. Have you tried breaking him? _

_Axel's father gave a low groan. "Have I ever! The kid refuses to break, no matter how hard I hit him."_

"_Then let me suggest an alternative."  
"I'm listening." _

--

Axel woke up sweating and trembling. He shot out of bed and headed for the bathroom. He barely made it in time; last night's dinner quickly left his stomach. He gagged after he had finished throwing up. Quickly, he flushed the toilet and rinsed his mouth out in the sink before anyone else woke up. Thankfully, all the Breeders were heavy sleepers. He changed his clothes and crawled back into bed.

"Stupid dreams," he muttered as he tried to go back to sleep.

To be continued…

Note from the author: I had a lot of fun writing Demyx in this chapter. Normally, he's not the motherly type but when Zexion is down, he has to step up and take responsibility for things. He does have a responsible streak in him…somewhere. I realized as I wrote this chapter that I haven't described the uniform at The Institute as of yet. What sort of writer am I? I'm going to rectify that mistake in the next chapter. You'll be able to get a better understanding of what they look like.

I want to make clear the timeline after Roxas finds out that he's pregnant. When he finds out, he's a month pregnant. If Zexion and Demyx paid more attention, they would have realized that Roxas didn't go into heat again and that signifies a pregnancy. It's like a woman's missed period, except that there's only one reason why a Bearer would miss it; pregnancy. Three months pass and Roxas is four months pregnant when he goes to see the doctor. So that's why he's four months pregnant. Just so everyone is clear.

Finally, we're beginning to learn why Axel is the way he is. Reviews and comments are always appreciated.

I'm SO sorry I didn't update this sooner. I normally wait until the next chapter is finished before posting but I've gotten absolutely nowhere on the next chapter and I realized that I had abandoned this. Please forgive me! I'm trying to get the next chapter finished. Oh yes, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far. I've reached over 100 reviews, which is a first for me! Thank you SO much! Your encouragement keeps me going. I'll shut up now.


	9. Chapter 9

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II. I do own the plot and the original characters who aren't associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II or any other anime, game, book, movie, TV show, ect.

Note: Um…don't kill me for taking so long to update. Please? This chapter was a beast to finish. I started it ages ago, but I had no idea where it was going. On another note, Axel isn't this chapter at all (dodges flying objects). But Zexion and Demyx are in here plenty. And Roxas makes a bit of an appearance in the beginning, but it's mostly about Zexion and Demyx.

---------------------------------------------

_Life went on after Jayden had bore his first son. We allowed Bryan and Jayden to remain together as partners and they bore several children. Several other of our sons became lovers and bore children as well. The rest were partnered to the various daughters we had over the years. Our lives were a routine. There was not anything very extraordinary about them, except for the fact that we were a family reproducing with each other. _

_Jayden and Bryan were the first couple to leave our house. Anatole was four and Jayden and Bryan had already had several more children, all sons. Hayden decided that they would be happier with their own place and so in his spare time, he built them a house. He enlisted the help of Bryan who needed to learn anyway. I was sad to see them leave, but I knew that I couldn't hold onto them forever. They had their own families to take care of now._

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Chapter 9

As the months slid by, it became more and more apparent that Roxas was pregnant. He was forced to start wearing maternity clothes that were like his regular clothes, only larger.

The clothes of The Institute weren't ugly, but they were plain. The uniform consisted of a simple pair of cotton pants and a cotton T-shirt that were a navy blue color. Also included were a pair of navy blue socks and ankle-high black boots. Roxas didn't really hate the uniform, but he thought someone could have made them look a little better.

Sighing softly, Roxas went to breakfast with his fellow Bearers. His life had become so boring. It was a routine: go to breakfast, go to lessons, have lunch, have more lessons, eat dinner, and go back to the dormitories. It was so predictable. The only thing different about his life at this point was that he was pregnant. He was moodier than usual and would burst into tears over the smallest thing. Not to mention he was getting huge. He didn't even fit into his old clothes anymore, which made him cry even more. And, he had breasts. He knew he shouldn't feel self-conscious because it was the way every Bearer was when he was pregnant, but he couldn't help it. He was a guy, for god's sake! He wasn't supposed to have breasts, in normal circumstances. But he wasn't normal.

According to Mr. Lexaeus, Bearers had special hormones that were triggered at pregnancy that gave them an easier time with the pregnancy and birth as well as breasts so the child could be properly nourished.

As his pregnancy drew to a close, Roxas was miserable. He tried to eat, but he wasn't really that hungry.

"Are you okay, Roxas sweetie?" Zexion asked, placing a hand on Roxas's shoulder.

"Yeah." Roxas swallowed hard. "I'm just not really hungry."

He thought Zexion was going to chide him and give him a lecture about how he had to eat not only for himself but the child he was carrying as well, but Zexion just smiled sadly.

"I know how you feel. I'm not really hungry either," Zexion said.

After breakfast, they went to their first lesson. Zexion, however, didn't join them.

"I'm going to go lay down for a while," he said distractedly.

Roxas knew he wasn't telling the whole truth, but didn't push it. "I'll see you later then."

"Yes." Zexion nodded.

Roxas went into the classroom alone for the first time since he had arrived at The Institute. Either Zexion or Demyx had always been there with him, but Zexion wasn't feeling well and Demyx was getting cleaned up from having his heat in the middle of the night last night. He knew he would be okay. He could survive for a while without Zexion or Demyx, right?

Zexion silently traveled down the halls until he came to the dormitories. He wasn't feeling well at all, though he had a nasty feeling of what the cause was. It was around the time he usually got his heat. He was only at the very beginning so it could not be detected by others, but he had this feeling that he was going to go into heat soon and he was never wrong. He had come to dread his heat because of his mate. Saix was almost as cold as Axel was. Almost. Plus, he was rough and made Zexion's whole experience extremely unpleasant.

He fervently wished his mate was as kind as Marluxia was to Demyx, but he knew it could never be. Even Axel was gentle with Roxas, Zexion had learned. He was not the only one who had a mate who liked it rough, but sometimes it certainly felt that way.

Zexion gathered his things and headed for the bathroom.

_Maybe if I take a shower, I'll feel better._ He thought, walking down the familiar path to the bathrooms.

When he got to the bathrooms, however, he was not the only one there. He had completely forgotten that Demyx had had his heat recently and was cleaning himself up. Needless to say, Demyx was surprised to see Zexion there as well.

"Zex? What are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing his hair with a towel in an attempt to get it dry. "Did you have your heat or something?"

"No." Zexion shook his head. "I'm just not feeling good and I'm hoping a nice shower will help me feel better."

"I see." Demyx studied Zexion carefully. "You're lying. You really suck at lying, you know."

Zexion blushed. "You just know me well."

"Yeah, that's true." Demyx grinned. His face turned serious. "So what's going on Zex?"

Zexion sighed softly. "I think my heat is coming."

"Your heat?" Demyx blinked, confused. "So why are you cutting class? Isn't that the opposite of what you should be doing?"

"I don't want my heat!" Zexion was on the verge of tears. "I don't want to go through the same thing over and over again with Saix. It hurts Demyx! It hurts so much!" Tears were falling, but he didn't care. He didn't even bother to brush them away. "I don't think I'm ever going to get pregnant Demyx, and it's his fault! He's so rough with me! What if he's damaged me?" Zexion gave a low sob as the emotions he had been trying to conceal for so long. "I'm scared Demyx. What if I'm never able to get pregnant? What if The Director decides that I'm not of any use and decides to get rid of me?"

"He won't," Demyx said fiercely, hugging Zexion tightly. "I won't let him. He'll never take you away from me. I swear."

There was a pause and then Demyx crushed his lips to Zexion's. When he realized what he'd done, he backed away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Zexion shook his head. "It's okay. I…I think I'm ready."

"Are you sure?" Demyx asked. "Because I won't force you to do anything you're not ready to do."

"I'm sure Demyx." Zexion smiled.

Their lips came together. Demyx's tongue slipped past Zexion's lips and explored his mouth. Zexion brought Demyx's head closer. Demyx's mouth left Zexion's and moved down his neck, gently nipping and sucking the skin.

"God, you're beautiful," Demyx murmured. "You're so beautiful."

Zexion flushed. "Thank you Demyx."

"I mean it Zex," Demyx said seriously. "You're one of a kind. Saix totally doesn't deserve someone as beautiful as you, especially since he's hurt you so much. He doesn't appreciate anything but the sex and even then, he makes it so hard on you."

"I know," Zexion said sadly. "There's nothing we can do about it. He's my mate."

"Yeah, I know." Demyx frowned. "I know you don't belong to me, but I wish to god you did. I'd give anything to be a Breeder I wish you were mine."

"Me too," Zexion whispered.

He pressed his lips to Demyx's again for several more kisses.

"Can we at least pretend that you belong to me?" Demyx asked.

"Yes!" Zexion breathed. "Please. I want you…I want you inside me so bad."

"I want to fuck you too." Demyx grinned. "I was just restraining myself all this time."

Zexion smiled. "Well you won't have to restrain yourself anymore."

"I'm glad." Demyx leaned in and kissed Zexion's lips again.

They broke apart and Zexion hastily removed his shirt. Demyx did the same. The two of them faced each other. After they stared at each other for a few moments, they came together, kissing passionately. Demyx slid Zexion's pants down, followed by his boxers. He had seen Zexion naked so many times before, but this time, it was completely different. He started kissing Zexion's neck again as he started to direct the dark-haired boy backward, toward one of the shower stalls.

"Wh…what are you doing?" Zexion stammered when he realized where they were heading.

"Covering our tracks," Demyx responded. "We need to be really careful so we aren't discovered. The way I see it, the shower is the best bet because it'll wash everything away and we'll be clean. Plus, the noise of the shower will cover the sounds of us…you know…"

"You've thought about this extensively, haven't you?" Zexion asked, trailing a hand down Demyx's chest.

"About having you here like this? Oh yeah." Demyx grinned. He kissed Zexion deeply. "Now go and get the shower ready. I'll be there in a second."

"All right." With one last deep kiss, Zexion stepped into the shower and turned it on.

Demyx closed the door to the stall and removed his last bits of clothes. He joined Zexion in the shower, which was warm by now. It was large enough for both of them to fit comfortably because it had been built large enough so a pregnant Bearer could fit with ease. Demyx stared at Zexion for a few moments, marveling at how beautiful he was with water dripping down his body. Then, he stepped forward and pressed his lips to Zexion's again. The hot spray pounded their bodies as they kissed. Zexion started grinding his hips against Demyx's. Demyx gasped at the contact. He felt his body growing hot.

"Zex, hurry," he urged. "I can't take it much longer."

Zexion nodded and started stroking Demyx's erection. Demyx moaned softly and started breathing heavier. He kissed Zexion feverishly.

"Now," he whispered.

He put his arms around Zexion's waist and lifted him up so he was halfway between the ceiling and the ground. Zexion spread his legs and firmly gripped Demyx's shoulders to brace himself. Demyx slowly slid in. Zexion squeezed his eyes shut.

"Let me know if you want me to stop," Demyx whispered. "Let me know if I'm hurting you."

"I'm…fine." Zexion sounded amazed.

He gasped as Demyx started thrusting, going deeper and deeper. It felt so good, not like when he was with Saix. All he could feel was the pain. He did not know any pleasure. But with Demyx it was the opposite. He knew the pleasure along with the pain.

Zexion cried out when he felt Demyx come into him. It was always the part he hated most, no matter who his partner was. Demyx slid out of Zexion and let him down. Zexion was dizzy from euphoria and shock. His breathing was quicker than normal.

"I'm gonna go and clean up in another shower and then head to lunch." Demyx's eyes lingered on Zexion's erection. "Do you want me to take care of that for you?"

Zexion would've said no normally and taken care of it himself, but he nodded. He trusted Demyx.

He closed his eyes as he felt Demyx's warm hand on his erection and gave into the pleasure of someone else stroke it so gently. Minutes later, he was finished and Demyx's abdomen was covered with a thick, sticky liquid. Demyx removed his hand and gave Zexion a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks," he whispered before stepping out of the shower, gathering his clothes, and heading for a different stall to get cleaned up.

Zexion remained motionless underneath the spray of the shower for the longest time, mulling over what happened. He knew he should be ashamed with himself for having sex with a man who wasn't his mate. He had just broken one of the most sacred rules at The Institute, which was punishable by death if the Council saw fit to execute him. He did not feel any sort of remorse at all. After all, Saix had brought this upon himself, hadn't he? He was the reason Zexion was infertile. Zexion was sure of that. Axel was a cold jerk, but he was surprisingly gentle with Roxas and had gotten him pregnant. Maybe that was the cause.

Finally, Zexion snapped to attention and cleaned himself up. He was slightly sore after his experience with Demyx, but it was nothing like when he had sex with Saix.

Saix…

He would go ballistic if he found out what Zexion had done. Swallowing hard, Zexion decided that he had to sleep with Saix again or he would be suspicious. The next time he had his heat…

Zexion's head snapped up as he realized the full extent of what he'd done. Not only had he had sex with someone who was not his mate, he had also done so in heat. He was fairly sure that he was in heat. And Demyx had been unusually horny, although Zexion had to admit that the blond-haired boy had been becoming more and more horny lately, especially around the time of Zexion's heat.

There was a chance that Zexion was pregnant. It was highly doubtful, seeing how infertile Zexion had been up to this point, but he knew that it was still possible.

"Oh god," he whispered. "What have I done? What the fuck have I done?!"

To be continued…

Note from the author: So, how many of you saw that coming? To be honest, I didn't know it was going to happen until recently. Took me by complete surprise. I hate it when characters do that to me. It's so annoying. Now I'm wondering just what the hell I've done. Things are only going to get more complicated from this point on.

And if you like this story so much and you want to know what the original characters look like, go to my mediaminer account and you'll find some artwork that I've done. I don't have much up there yet, but I'm getting there.


	10. Chapter 10

Identity

_The years started passing by quickly. Every chance we could, Hayden and I had another child. It was a cycle. Have a child, watch them grow up, pair them with someone, either a male or a female, and build a house for them. By the time Hayden and I were in our late forties, we already had great-grandchildren. It was incredible._

…

Chapter 10

Roxas immediately knew something was wrong when Zexion walked into the classroom after lunch. Roxas had always been sensitive, but with his pregnancy, he had become even more sensitive. It wasn't just the fact that Zexion had skipped their morning lessons completely as well as lunch. Roxas knew there was something else, something deeper that was causing Zexion's distress. His brows knitted into a frown as Zexion crossed the room and took his usual place next to him. He wanted to ask Zexion what was wrong, but didn't.

"Are you feeling better Zexion?" he asked instead.

"Yes," Zexion answered with a forced smile. "I took a nap and then after I got up, I took a hot shower."

"Are you hungry?" Roxas asked. "You missed lunch after all."

"No." Zexion shook his head.

Mr. Lexaeus entered and began the lesson. Roxas tried to pay attention, but he couldn't help glancing at not just Zexion, but Demyx as well. The latter was silent, something Roxas had never seen before. Demyx's lips were pressed together tightly and Roxas had the feeling that he had his teeth clenched. He seemed…angry about something. Very angry. Zexion on the other hand, seemed to be on the verge of tears. He kept his head bent low so his face was obscured, but Roxas could sense his distress. He wished he could do something, but he was in the middle of lessons. He couldn't just walk away.

Roxas turned his head back to the front and tried to concentrate on what Mr. Lexaeus was saying. He talked about first heat, a review for the Bearers who had already experienced it and a lecture for the new Bearers. At the break, Roxas went up to talk to Mr. Lexaeus as usual.

"My, Roxas," Mr. Lexaeus said with a smile as Roxas approached. "You're getting very large."

Roxas flushed and put a hand on his abdomen reflexively. "Yes. I have little over a month remaining."

"You look well."

"Thank you." Roxas flushed even more.

"Have you thought of any names?" Mr. Lexaeus asked. Roxas looked at him curiously. "Ah, that's right. We haven't told you yet. You get the honor of naming the baby. You and your mate, that is. If you need help, I can give you a booklet of name ideas. Would you like that?"

"Yeah," Roxas answered with a smile.

"You're expecting a boy, correct?" Mr. Lexaeus asked while he started leafing through his desk for something.

"Yes, that's correct," Roxas whispered, his hand resting on his belly.

He could feel his son kicking. He was so strong, it seemed. He couldn't wait to see what his son looked like. He wondered who he'd resemble more: Axel or him. He would know soon enough.

"Aha!" Mr. Lexaeus said triumphantly, straightening up and holding up a booklet. "Here we are. This is a complete list of baby names, both male and female, that The Institute has created. Obviously you don't need the female names, but take a look at the male names. Perhaps you'll find a name you like."

"Thank you," Roxas murmured.

He had a feeling that Axel didn't give a damn about what they called their son so it was up to him to pick out a suitable name.

----------------------

In the blink of an eye, the last month of Roxas's pregnancy fell away. Now it was only days before the baby was due and everyone at The Institute was getting excited. Even the Breeders were mildly curious about it; there hadn't been a birth at The Institute for a very long time. The only one who wasn't excited or interested at all was Axel, but Roxas had other things to worry about, such as Zexion. He was still not feeling well, and it only seemed to be getting worse. He missed several lessons and stayed in bed with flu-like symptoms. Roxas, however, could sense that it was not just the flu that was making Zexion ill. Zexion was incredibly stressed for some reason, although he would not say why. Demyx said that his heat was coming up and he was always anxious around that time. But it never came, causing Zexion to be even more anxious.

"I'm pregnant," he said, pacing around the dormitories during dinner one night. He was skipping dinner because the smell of the food was starting to make him nauseous, and Demyx and Roxas were skipping along with him. "I have to be. Unless Fate is playing a sick joke on me."

He paced even more. Roxas watched his movements, getting more and more upset with each round Zexion made.

"Zex, it's gonna be all right," Demyx said soothingly. "You'll see. You heat is gonna come any day now and everything will be fine."

"You don't know that for sure!" Zexion said desperately.

"Zex…s…sit down. Please. You're making Roxas cry." Demyx gestured toward Roxas, who was fighting back tears.

Zexion stopped pacing at once and went to sit next to Roxas on the blond's bed.

"Roxas sweetie please don't cry," he murmured, wrapping his arm around Roxas.

"I don't like seeing you like this. I don't like seeing you upset." Roxas sniffed softly.

"I know hon. I don't like it either. Demyx is right. Everything is going to be all right." Zexion wrapped his arms around Roxas for a warm hug.

Demyx sat on Roxas's other side and wrapped his arm around Roxas as well. The three of them sat like that until the other Bearers returned from dinner.

Three days later, Roxas found himself accompanying Zexion and Demyx to the medical facility so Zexion could be seen by a doctor. Demyx and Roxas politely waited out in the Waiting Room while the doctor examined Zexion privately. An hour passed. Roxas looked over at Demyx. The blond-haired boy was positively pale. Roxas reached out and placed a hand on top of Demyx's. Demyx turned toward him and Roxas was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"Demyx…?" he asked.

"There is a chance…that I might have gotten Zexion pregnant," Demyx whispered.

Roxas's eyes widened. "What? H…how?"

"You know the day Zexion wasn't feeling good, when he said he took a nap and then a shower?" Roxas nodded. "That day…he and I had sex in the shower. I was in the bathroom already because I had had my heat and he came in and…I couldn't control my feelings for him any longer! I knew that my feelings were starting to change and that I desired him above all else, but in that moment, I…I couldn't control myself. He was in heat, I'm pretty sure of it, and I just wanted to…to take him and he consented so we had sex in the shower."

"Oh Demyx," Roxas whispered. "Why? Why did you take Zexion even though he wasn't yours to take? Why did you break the most sacred rule? What happens if Xemnas finds out! You could be killed! Both of you!"

Demyx's head snapped up and he stared at Roxas. The young Bearer's face was anxious, not at all disgusted. Roxas smiled at Demyx's astonished look.

"I'm here for you," he murmured, gently squeezing Demyx's hand. "You and Zexion are my brothers. I would never turn against you for any reason. You may have broken one of The Institute's most sacred rules and you may have broken your promise to you mate to always love him, cherish him, and protect him, but you love Zexion. I can sense it. And…I can sense that he loves you too."

Roxas was trembling as he went on, "Marluxia loves you because it's his duty, but you love Zexion because you can."

"Thank you Roxas," Demyx breathed.

The door beside the receptionist's desk opened and Zexion came out, a dazed expression on his face. Roxas and Demyx rose and rushed over to him.

"Zex?" Demyx asked, his pulse rising.

Zexion was blinking back tears. "I'm pregnant."

Roxas and Demyx stared at him soundlessly for a long time.

"Oh my god," Demyx whispered.

"The doctor says that I'm two months along but…"Zexion uneasily glanced around the room.

"It's okay Zexion," Roxas said softly. "Demyx told me what happened between the two of you."

"He told you?!" Zexion looked alarmed.

"Come on. We need to go somewhere more private to talk," Roxas said in a low voice.

Zexion and Demyx followed him down the hallways until they came to a classroom not currently in use. The threw of them sat on the tops of the desks.

"Yes, Demyx told me what happened," Roxas started out, "but I am not going to say anything to anyone. You are my brothers. I'd never betray you."

"Oh Daire," Zexion whispered, tears forming in his eyes.

"So you're sure it's mine?" Demyx croaked. "I mean, you could have already been pregnant before I had sex with you."

"No." Zexion shook his head. "I'm certain it's yours. I didn't start experiencing the symptoms until after I was with you. I would have known if I was already pregnant. I know I was having my heat when we had sex. I just know!" Zexion's voice rose slightly.

"All right. So what are we going to do?" Demyx asked.

"I don't know!" Zexion buried his face in his hands. "How am I going to tell Saix? Oh god!" He started sobbing softly.

Roxas gently put his hand on Zexion's back as the dark haired boy had done so many times for him.

"You tell Halen it's his," Demyx suddenly said. Zexion looked up at him, tears streaming down his face. "The doctor thinks you're two months pregnant, right? Let everyone assume that it is SaÏx's child. And when it's born a month late…well that can happen."

"Okay." Zexion nodded. "I don't want to lie to my mate, but I guess I have no choice, do I?"

"It's for the best," Demyx said softly. "SaÏx would kill you if he were to find out the truth."

"I know!" Zexion said desperately. He rose unsteadily. "I…I have to go and tell Saix the news."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Demyx asked. "You know, for moral support."

"Yes." Zexion smiled. "I don't think I can do this alone."

"It's settled then!" Demyx said enthusiastically.

Demyx went out first. Roxas gently touched Zexion on the shoulder. Zexion turned.

"This baby is a blessing," Roxas said softly. "It's proof that you and Demyx were meant to be together. Don't forget that, all right?"

Zexion smiled at his friend. "I won't. Thank you."

He and Roxas joined Demyx in the hallway and headed for the dormitory of the Breeders.

To be continued…

Notes: I'm sorry this chapter is really short. I felt like this was a good place to cut it off. The next chapter will be epic, that's for sure. A couple notes for this chapter:

Just so it's clear, it is possible for Bearers to bear a child together, however, this isn't done because there aren't many Bearers left in the world and all of them are needed to reproduce. They reproduce because there aren't many Bearers left in the world and the ability to bear is genetic. Only a Bearer can produce another Bearer. Does that make sense? The Bearers are actually technically hermaphrodites because they have both sets of reproductive organs so that's why they can have children with each other. But because of the low population of Bearers, they're paired off with the Breeders so each Bearer can have children and hope that they create a Bearer in the process. I'm sorry if I'm confusing anyone.

Heh, a lot of people saw the scene with Zexion and Demyx coming. Guess my readers know my characters better than I do. Anyone know what should happen next? Just kidding. :D

A bunch of people had the feeling that Zexion was going to get pregnant. I tried SO hard to keep it a secret so I wouldn't ruin the surprise when responding to the reviews.

And one final thing, I have a deviant art account now so you can view my artwork there and hopefully it won't get taken down, if you're interested in seeing some of the original characters. Now I have the urge to start drawing fanart for the fanfiction. XD


	11. Chapter 11

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts and I'm not making any sort of money by writing this. Okay?

_There was not much else that really occurred in my or Hayden's lifetime. Both of us lived to be ninety. Hayden passed first in his sleep a year ago. I have lingered on, but I feel my time is coming. I hope this journal is found by future generations so they know the history behind how they were created and don't forget their ancestors. _

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Chapter 11

Zexion took a deep breath as he approached the Breeders' dormitory. The key was for him to stay calm or else he'd give his secret away and he couldn't afford to do that. He was so glad Roxas and Demyx were with him. He knew he couldn't do it alone. Demyx took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze and Roxas gently touched his wrist as they stood outside the dormitory. Zexion took another deep breath and went in. There were so many Breeders, twice as many as there had been when Roxas entered nearly nine months before. The Breeders' numbers were rapidly increasing. Zexion looked around the dormitory, searching for his mate. Fortunately at that moment, Sora came up to them.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice mirroring his curious face.

"I need to speak to my mate. Have you seen him?" Zexion struggled to keep his voice level.

Sora nodded. "Hold on. I'll go and get him."

He vanished. A young boy with sandy colored hair they had never seen before came up to them, curiosity reflecting in his olive green eyes.

"Are you…are you Bearers?" he asked.

"Yes," Demyx answered curtly.

"Demyx, be nice," Zexion hissed, smacking Demyx over the head. "The boy is curious, that's all." He turned to the boy. "Just ignore the idiot over there. Are you new?" The boy nodded. "Welcome to The Institute. I'm Zexion, the idiot is Demyx, and that's Roxas."

"Hello." Roxas smiled warmly.

Demyx swore at Zexion.

"I'm Jasper," the boys said, staring at Roxas's rounded stomach, causing the blond to reflexively put a hand there.

"Zexion?" Saix asked, stepping forward, Sora in tow.

"Hi Saix," Zexion said softly. "I need to speak to you. It's…uh…important."

"Okay…" Saix made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere.

Zexion let out a long breath. He looked up at his mate. "I'm pregnant."

"O…oh." Saix blinked. Zexion thought he saw something reflected in Saix's expression. Disappointment, perhaps. It was hard to tell because Saix's expression became unreadable again. "Well you wanted a child, didn't you?"

"Yes," Zexion whispered. "More than anything."

"Well there you go."

Demyx caught a glimpse of Zexion's hurt face and found himself growing very angry. Before he could say anything to tell Saix off, Axel showed up, which was probably a good thing. He ignored the others and scowled at Roxas.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" he asked.

"I came with Zexion," Roxas answered coldly. "He had some news to share with his mate."

"News?" Axel frowned. "What news?"

"Zexion is going to have a baby."

Axel looked surprised. "Really?"

"Yes." Roxas nodded.

"Huh."

Axel's cold gaze landed on Zexion. He knew as well as everyone else that Zexion and Saix had been trying to have a child for a long time, and then suddenly Zexion was pregnant? It was sort of weird. Axel didn't say anything else. He walked away and returned to his bed. Demyx, Zexion, and Roxas left.

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Zexion woke up to the sound of crying. He lay in his bunk for a few moments staring at the bottom of the bunk above him, trying to shake the feeling of sleep off. When he was sure that he was sufficiently coherent enough, he got up, making sure he didn't hit his head in the process, and went to see what the problem was. As he suspected, the crying came from Roxas, who was shifting restlessly in his bed.

"Roxas? Roxas honey what's wrong?" Zexion asked, bending over his friend's figure. Roxas gave a low moan. "Roxas can you hear me? Tell me what's wrong."

"It hurts Zexion," Roxas moaned.

"What hurts Roxas?" Zexion questioned.

Roxas could not answer, but moved his hand to his rounded belly. Zexion's eyes widened. He knew what it was implying.

"I'll be right back, okay?" he asked.

"Okay," Roxas moaned.

Zexion hastened across the dormitory to where Demyx was asleep, snoring gently.

"Demyx," Zexion whispered, giving the blond haired boy a gentle shake. "Wake up." Demyx remained asleep. "Demyx wake up!" Demyx snored harder. "Damn it, you idiot, wake up!" Zexion's voice rose in anger. He shook Demyx as hard as he could. "DEMYX YOU DAMN IDIOT! WAKE UP ASSHOLE!" He hit Demyx over the head hard.

Demyx jerked awake. He hit his head on the bunk above him and swore loudly.

"Ow! Goddamit! Sunofabitch!" he yelled, holding his head.

"Idiot." Zexion rolled his eyes.

Demyx glared at him. "What's the big idea Zex? Waking me up when I was having such a good dream…"

"I think Roxas's in labor," Zexion hastily cut him off.

"What?" Demyx asked, his eyes widening. Zexion repeated what he had just said. "Fuck. Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure," Zexion responded, throwing a hasty glance in Roxas's direction. He was amazed at how calm his voice sounded. "We have to get him to the Medical Facility. I highly doubt that he'll be able to walk very much by himself and I can't carry him there myself. I need you to help me."

Demyx nodded and got up. He went to reach for his clothes but Zexion stopped him.

"There's no time." Zexion shook his head.

Demyx willing dropped his clothes and followed Zexion over to Roxas's bunk. They could hear him crying softly.

"Roxas?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah?" Roxas's voice was slightly muffled.

"Demyx and I are going to take you to the Medical Facility, all right?"

"I can feel him! He's coming! Oh god!" Roxas gave a choked sob.

Zexion slowly inhaled and exhaled. "If that's true Roxas, then we really have to get you up to the Medical Facility."

"I…I don't think I can move. It hurts so much!" Roxas cried uncertainly.

"Demyx and I are going to help you, all right? We won't let you do this alone," Zexion said patiently.

"O…okay." Roxas sniffed.

Zexion and Demyx heard some rustling sounds and after several long minutes, Roxas got up. Zexion sucked in his breath. Roxas's face was contorted in pain and tears streaked down his face. Demyx was speechless. The two lovers shared a brief glance and then stepped forward. Each of them grabbed one of Roxas's arms and helped him to walk forward. They passed the bunks, ignoring the curious and frightened glances of the other Bearers who had awoken at all the commotion.

"Maybe we should go get the Medical Facility people and have them take Roxas," Demyx said as they started down the hallway.

Zexion shook his head. "Not enough time. We need to get Roxas there now. It's faster on foot.

Their journey was punctured by Roxas's cries and Zexion's soft words of encouragement. About halfway there, Roxas suddenly stopped and gave a low moan. He doubled over and there was a gush of water.

"Shit!" Zexion swore softly. "His water broke!" He turned to Demyx, his eyes urgent. "Run to the Medical Facility. Don't walk. Run. Run as fast as you can. Tell them that Roxas's in labor and his water has just broke. Hurry!"

Demyx nodded and sprinted off. Zexion dropped to his knees by Roxas's side.

"Hold on a little longer Roxas," he said softly.

"I'll try." Roxas gritted his teeth. "The baby is stubborn. It wants to come now. Probably gets that from his father."

Barely five minutes had passed when Demyx returned with several members of the Medical Staff behind him. They got Roxas loaded onto a gurney and pushed him into the Medical Facility. Demyx and Zexion followed, though they couldn't go any farther than the waiting room.

"Will he be okay?" Zexion asked, watching his friend vanish into the back.

"He'll be fine," Demyx answered reassuringly. "Roxas's a strong person."

Axel blinked confusedly opened his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked dazedly.

"It's Roxas," Sora answered softly. "He's in labor."

Axel turned on his side and went back to sleep.

Roxas changed into a paper gown with help from a nurse and was helped into bed. An IV was jabbed into his left arm and a plastic bracelet was put around his wrist. Then, he was alone. He did not know how much time had passed before Dr. Vexen came to see him.

"How are you feeling Roxas?" he asked.

"I…can't breathe!" Roxas gasped, his cheeks flushed as he tried to get oxygen into his lungs.

"Shh." Dr. Vexen gently placed a mask over Roxas's nose and mouth. "Just relax. Breathe deeply. You're doing wonderful. Let me check your progress." Roxas felt the man spread his legs and jab two fingers inside him. Then, the fingers withdrew. "Looks good. It won't be long now."

Roxas nodded. He was overcome with a wave of pain. He closed his eyes tightly and cried out softly, his breathing quickening.

"Easy Roxas. Easy," Dr. Vexen cautioned. The contraction finally ended. "Wow, that was a nasty one."

Roxas silently nodded in agreement. The doctor left. Roxas slipped into unconsciousness, though he did not know how long that lasted. He was slightly aware of a man and woman talking and from time to time, Dr. Vexen would examine him. He was in and out of consciousness for what seemed like an eternity. Sometimes the pain would lessen and other times, it would grow worse.

Roxas was awake when Dr. Vexen came in for another examination. He was silent as the doctor examined him and didn't budge an inch when the doctor shoved two fingers inside him to check his progress.

"Well Roxas, I think you're ready to push now," Dr. Vexen said, peeling off his gloves. He left for a moment and gave orders to a nurse waiting outside. Equipment was brought in. "Can you sit up for me Roxas?" Dr. Vexen pulled on a fresh pair of gloves.

"Yeah," Roxas answered.

Panting, he heaved himself up and grabbed his knees. Several pillows were put behind him to give him support. On Dr. Vexen's order, he started pushing, only half listening to the doctor as he counted to ten. When Dr. Vexen reached ten, Roxas was given a short break and then he started pushing again. Pain shot through his body. He groaned as he pushed harder and harder. The minutes blurred together.

"Come on Roxas," Dr. Vexen encouraged. "You can do it." Sobs tore through Roxas's chest as he pushed. "Come on Roxas! Push! You can do it! You're almost there."

"Axel!" Roxas screamed. "Axel! Please help me! AXEL!!"

"Shh Roxas. Push," Dr. Vexen said.

Roxas sobbed as he continued to scream his absent mate's name.

Zexion's head snapped up when he heard the first scream. He could recognize Roxas's voice with ease.

Demyx's face paled when he heard Roxas screaming, then he frowned. "What's he screaming?"

They listened.

"Axel…" Demyx muttered.

"He's screaming for Axel," Zexion breathed.

The screaming continued. Demyx looked sick. Tears started streaming down Zexion's face as he listened to Roxas's screaming get worse. He hunched over in his seat, trying to block the heartbreaking sound from his mind.

Roxas screamed until he was hoarse and pushed as hard as he could.

Finally, he heard Dr. Vexen say, "okay. Enough Roxas. Just little pushes now. Just little pushes."

Roxas blindly obeyed. His sight was blurred by tears. He finally felt the pain stop and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

------------------

"Roxas?" a soft voice asked.

Roxas slowly opened his eyes. All he could see was a haze. When he blinked, the haze started to vanish, so he blinked again. Dr. Vexen was watching him, an anxious expression on his face. Roxas inhaled and exhaled. He felt dizzy, sick. And so weak. His eyes slid closed again. When he opened them, Roxas was watching him still, a smile on his face now.

"Welcome back Roxas," he said. "How do you feel?"

Roxas reflected for a moment. "Tired. Really tired."

"Well that's to be expected. You worked so hard to bring your son into the world. Speaking of your son, would you like to see him?"

"Yeah," Roxas said hoarsely.

"Well why don't you sit up and I'll get him for you?" Dr. Vexen suggested.

Roxas nodded. Slowly, he sat up. Dr. Vexen brought him a bundle. Roxas held out his arms and Dr. Vexen gently placed it in his arms. Roxas gently brushed the blanket out of the way. The baby's face was all red and wrinkly, streaked with tears.

"Hey," Roxas said softly, brushing two fingers against the newborn's cheek.

The baby's eyes opened and unfocused eyes looked up at Roxas. The blond gave a soft gasp; his son had Axel's eyes.

"Do you have a name for him?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Colin," Roxas whispered.

Dr. Vexen nodded. "Your friends are outside waiting. Would you like me to let them in?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

Dr. Vexen vanished momentarily. When he returned, he had Zexion and Demyx with him, both of them looking immensely pale. Dr. Vexen slipped out to give them a bit of privacy. Neither Zexion nor Demyx spoke for a long time.

"Are you okay?" Demyx managed to get out at last.

"I think so," Roxas replied hoarsely.

"That was one hell of a labor," Zexion murmured.

"Yeah. We could hear you screaming all the way out in the waiting room." Demyx ran his fingers through his short hair.

Roxas flushed. "It hurt."

"I noticed," Zexion muttered.

"Just wait Zex. In a couple months, it'll be you screaming your lungs out." Demyx nudged his friend playfully.

"Don't remind me." Zexion's hand nevertheless strayed to his belly.

Roxas noticed and smiled. "It's wonderful Zexion."

"So what's his name?" Demyx asked curiously, motioning to the baby in Roxas's arms.

"Colin," Roxas answered.

"Nice." Demyx smiled.

Baby Colin started to fuss.

"It sounds like he's hungry," a nurse said, coming into the room. "Do you think you're up to trying to nurse him?"

"Yeah," Roxas agreed.

"All right. Let me hold him so you can get that gown off, at least partly." The nurse took Colin.

"Roxas, do you want us to leave?" Demyx asked. "So you can have some privacy I mean."

"It's all right," Roxas answered truthfully. "I don't mind if you're here but if it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to stay."

Zexion and Demyx briefly glanced at each other and came to a silent agreement that they were going to stay. Roxas took off half his gown so one of his breasts was exposed. The nurse handed Colin back to Roxas and showed him several positions he could use. Then she showed him how to guide the baby's mouth to the nipple. It took several tries before Colin started suckling. Roxas took several breaths to calm himself down.

"How ya doing?" the nurse asked.

"Better," Roxas answered truthfully.

"That's good to hear. Breast feeding can be a bit frustrating at times, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

"I hope so," Roxas said quietly.

To be continued…

Notes: One of my readers brought up the question of genetics and asked if two Bearers have sexual intercourse and have a child like Demyx and Zexion have, will it be a Bearer? The answer is not necessarily. Just because it's two Bearers together, it doesn't mean that a Bearer will be produced. There's still a chance that the child will be either a normal male, a Breeder, or a female. But Bearers can only come from Bearers. Females can't have a Bearer. Their children will either be a male, a Breeder, or another female. Bearers can have all those, as well as a Bearer because it's strictly a genetic thing. Does that make sense at all? I really suck at explaining things. It makes perfect sense in my head but for some reason I can't get it down. XD

I'm working on two projects for this at the same time that I'm working on updates. First, I'm constructing an outline that'll help me get to the end of the story. So far, I have plans for 18 chapters, but I'm nowhere near the end so there'll be more. But so far, there's at least 18. I'll keep you guys updated as I go.

The other project I'm working on is revising. I've gone back and made a list of things that I want to revise and things I want to add in. If you guys have any suggestions, I'm open to them. I want to know what you guys think and what you think I should revise. So far, I'm planning to rewrite all the sex scenes, add in a lot more descriptions for certain things (such as classrooms) and people. And more detail to the binding ceremony because I can add so much more to that, and the confinement scene will definitely be expanded. I'm not done with makin a list of what I'm planning to revise but let me know if there are things you think I should revise and I'll take it into consideration.

And I'm also working on trying to update regularly. It's not working so far, but I'm getting there. Sorry for the really long Author's Note this time around. XD I'll shut up now.


	12. Chapter 12

Identity

_This journal was given to me by my father Harou so that I could write down everything that happens to me in my lifetime because I'm not normal. Not at all. But I'll get to that later. First, all the boring crap. My name is Jayden. I don't have a surname. I don't need one. I'm just strange like that. I wasn't born under normal circumstances. Both my parents are male. Not only that, they're also twins. It sounds a bit gross but the world ended and they were the only ones left. Both of them could get pregnant but only my father Harou did. That was how I was born, along with all my siblings. I have lots of them. I'm the second. My older brother Riku is a year older than me, more or less. Riku is everything to me. But like I said before, I'll get to that later. _

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Chapter 12

Axel stared as Roxas entered the cafeteria with Saix and Marluxia's mates. The entire cafeteria fell silent and every head turned to look at the three Bearers. They weren't staring at them exactly, but at the baby carrier Roxas was carrying. Roxas had not been seen after giving birth; he had remained in the dormitories taking care of his newborn child away from prying eyes. Now, after nearly four months, he was ready to return to the public eye.

Axel blinked. Saix's mate, it appeared, was starting to look uncomfortable in his uniform. Soon he would be in maternity clothes. Marluxia's mate told Roxas something. Roxas nodded and went to a table in the corner. Marluxia and Saix's mates stood in line and brought back food for Roxas. The three of them ate their meals in silence, then headed to their lessons together. Axel finished his own breakfast and headed for the lesson with his fellow Breeders.

The room was noisy as it usually was before the teacher arrived and started class. Axel sat in his usual seat with Riku, Xaldin, and Sora. All of a sudden, the talking hushed. Axel looked up as Roxas crossed the room, the baby in his arms. He stopped in front of Axel.

"Hi Axel," Roxas said softly.

"What the hell do you want?" Axel growled.

The guards shifted warily, ready if things got out of hand.

"Relax Axel," Roxas replied, his tone cooling considerably. "I'm not going to invade your personal bubble for very long. I just wanted to give you the chance to at least see your son before he's put in foster care."

"Do you think I care?" Axel sneered.

"Of course you don't," Roxas answered. "But I don't care. I don't care that you don't care. Your opinion doesn't matter. You're just an asshole. But I know there's still some humanity left in you somewhere. It may be buried deep down, but somewhere inside, there's still a vulnerable part of you. You need to find that part of you, Axel, and this is a good place to start."

Roxas unexpectedly shoved the baby into Axel's lap. There were several horrified gasps. Axel automatically put his arms around the child to keep it from falling. The guards tensed, but didn't move. The whole room fell dead silent. Axel's eyes were fixed on the child. It looked a lot like Roxas, but Axel could see some of his own features mixed in there. It was sort of creepy. The child had beautiful strawberry blond curls, a perfect combination of Roxas's honey and Axel's red.

"It has a name?" Axel asked.

"He," Roxas stressed. "He is named Colin."

"You pick out the name yourself?" Axel asked scornfully.

"Well yes, since you didn't have the decency to show up at his birth, you don't have any right in naming him. Despite the fact that you are his father."

Father. The word stung Axel like he had been slapped. An image of his own father's cruelty entered his mind, followed by a realization.

Oh my god. I'm just like my father. After swearing I would never be like him, I've turned out just like him. He thought.

"Axel?" Roxas asked, noticing the look of horror crossing his mate's face.

Axel rose, still holding Colin who was starting to squirm. He turned to face his mate and Roxas saw the pain starting to show on his normally stoic face.

"Here, take him," Axel muttered, shoving Colin back into Roxas's arms.

Then, he brushed past Roxas and sprinted from the room, nearly running into the teacher at the door.

"Axel!" Roxas protested, turning around.

His mate did not appear to hear him.

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_Axel didn't like how the man and his father were quietly talking in the corner together. It was like they were planning something. Finally, the two of them left their corner and came back to where Axel now stood._

_"Get your things," his father snapped. "You're going with Sephiroth."_

_"Why father?" Axel asked._

_"Don't ask questions. Just do it!"_

_"Y…yes father," Axel stammered._

_He went to his small, plain bedroom and grabbed a bag from the closet. He threw some clothes in and zipped it up. He didn't exactly have much to begin with. When he had finished, he went back out to the living room._

_"Bye father," Axel said. His father ignored him. "Bye mother."_

_"Goodbye Axel," his mother said sadly._

_Axel didn't understand why she sounded so sad. He wouldn't understand for years the full extent of what his father had done. He wouldn't understand the idea of being bought and paid for by another man and what it was to be a slave until he was much older._

_------_

_"Get up boy!" Sephiroth shouted, delivering a hard smack to his face. "There's work to be done!" _

_Axel silently scrambled out of bed and pulled his clothes on. He had learned very fast that he had to please Sephiroth or he would not get anything to eat. _

_"Breakfast is there." Sephiroth pointed to the small, rickety card table that served as their dining room table._

_Axel crossed the room to the table. There were several pieces of stale bread and a lump of yellow cheese on the table. Axel ate the food quickly, not even caring that the bread was harder than a boot. Sephiroth watched him eat._

_"Come," he ordered when Axel had finished._

_Axel followed Sephiroth out of the small apartment they shared._

_"Stay close to me," Sephiroth ordered. "Don't lag."_

_"Yes sir," Axel replied._

_Sephiroth's lips curled up into a sneer. "You learn fast."_

_Axel said nothing. They walked down the streets together, through one of the better parts of the city_

_Axel had been born and raised in the slums so walking through the better part of town was a little strange for him. He was not used to seeing all the nicely dressed, well-groomed people and the impressive pristine buildings. They were in the Financial District, Axel recognized. There were men and women dressed in business suits and skirts hurrying down the sidewalk._

_"This way," Sephiroth ordered._

_He turned left down an alley. Axel trotted after him. Sephiroth stopped in front of a plain-looking door that blended into the rest of the architecture. He knocked shortly on the door. Several seconds later, the door swung open and they were admitted. They seemed to be in a front hall of some sort. A plain-looking woman with black hair pulled behind her head in a severe bun led them into a large spacious room with several couches and chairs scattered around the room. In every chair and on every couch was a man, ranging in age from late twenties to fifties and there was even man who looked to be sixty._

_"Is this the boy?" one of the men asked in a deep voice._

_"Yes," Sephiroth answered with a nod. "His name is Axel."_

_The man turned to Axel. He had oily black hair and cold brown eyes. "How old are you Axel?"_

_"Eight," Axel answered, raising his head to look the man in the eye._

_He was not afraid of the man. He only obeyed Sephiroth because it got him food._

_"You are not afraid of me," the man stated calmly._

_"No." Axel shook his head._

_"Believe me, in time, you will fear me."_

_Axel frowned. He didn't understand what the man mean._

_The man turned to Sephiroth. "You're sure he's not a Bearer?"_

_"Yes." Sephiroth nodded. "I did a thorough background check into his family. He's descended from the third son of Hayden and Harou who was not a Bearer."_

_"All right. I trust you." The man pushed a button and the same plain-looking woman who had let them in appeared._

_"Yes master?" she asked in a monotone voice._

_"Take young Axel to my chambers and have him…prepared. I will be in shortly."_

_"Yes master." The woman inclined her head slightly._

_She straightened up, stepped forward, and grabbed Axel by the arm. She was a lot stronger than she first appeared. Without saying a word, she dragged Axel out of the large room and through a door on the other side. They ended up in a long hallway._

_"Let go of me you bitch!" Axel growled, pulling himself away from the woman._

_The woman was silent, her grip tight. Axel was dragged into a small room and thrown to the ground. The woman left, slamming the door behind her. Axel slowly got up and looked at his surroundings. He was in a small, dark, windowless room. The walls and floor were made out of concrete. Axel shivered. The room was cold and damp and smelled of mold and mildew. _

_Axel didn't know how much time had passed before the door opened. Two large men entered, both of them dressed in dark clothes. Axel didn't see their faces. Both of them stepped forward. Axel stepped back. He felt his back press against the ice cold wall. Trapped. One of the men grabbed his arm, pressing one of his large hands over Axel's mouth to keep him quiet. Axel sank his teeth into the man's hand. The man grunted and let go. He brought one of his large hands around and connected it with Axel's head. Axel's head collided with the concrete wall and spots appeared in his line of sight. The other man grabbed his arm while he was dazed and pushed his sleeve up. A needle was jabbed into his forearm and some sort of liquid was injected into his body. The man let him go and he and the other man left. Axel collapsed. His breathing intensified. He had no idea what they had given him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and drifted off…_

_Axel abruptly awoke. He was cold, dizzy, and sick. His entire body throbbed. He couldn't move. Wildly, he looked around. He was laying on a hard bed, his hands cuffed above his head. The room was dark and damp, with a faint mustiness hanging in the air, like the room hadn't seen sunlight in ages, which it probably hadn't. There was not much in the room besides the bed and a door across from it. Axel shivered slightly. After a few moments, he realized why he was so cold; he was not wearing any clothes. The door opened and the man who had asked Axel questions earlier entered._

_"Ah, you're finally awake," he said, stepping across the small space. "I must admit, I prefer boys who are much older than you are, but I was most intrigued when Sephiroth spoke about you. He said that you had a lot of spirit." The man reached out and gently stroked Axel's cheek. Axel hissed softly at the touch and twisted away. The man chuckled softly. "Ah yes. I can see that spirit Sephiroth spoke about. It's very admirable."_

_The mattress sagged under the weight of the man as he joined Axel on the bed. Axel didn't like how close the man was to him. He closed his eyes as the man started touching every part of his body, including his private areas. _

Riku sprinted down the hallway. He had a bad feeling about Axel. He needed to find the redhead now. However, he seemed to have vanished.

"Come on Axel. Where are you?" Riku muttered.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath. He was skipping class but he didn't care. Axel was more important than stupid classes. He had caught the look in Axel's eyes and frankly, it scared him. He couldn't explain what scared him so much.

Riku started sprinting again. So far, he had been able to evade the guards, but he knew he couldn't be lucky much longer. He had to think like Axel. If he was upset, where would he go? Where would he hide? Riku shook his head. He didn't know Axel that well. But he had to try and find him.

He stopped outside the bathroom. He hadn't looked there! His chest was heaving as he pushed the door open. The fluorescent lights reflected off the tile floor as he crossed the room. He caught a glance of fiery red hair and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He hurried over to the row of sinks and kneeled down. Axel was laying underneath the sinks curled up on the cool tile, shuddering and shaking.

"Axel?" Riku asked softly. Axel didn't answer. "Axel?"

Riku reached out and put a hand on Axel's forehead. The redhead was clammy. Riku hesitated, unsure if he should get someone from the Medical Facility or not. He didn't really just want to just leave Axel there, even if it was for a minute or two. Riku shifted from his knees to his butt and got himself comfortable. He didn't know how long he was going to be there so he figured he'd at least be comfortable.

-------------------

In an hour, Axel had barely moved. Riku was bored and annoyed. He didn't like being a babysitter. The door to the bathroom finally opened again and Sora came in. He spotted Riku sitting on the floor and, frowning deeply, walked over to him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Babysitting," Riku answered with a faint growl. Sora shot him a confused glance. "Look." Riku jabbed his thumb in the direction of the sinks.

Sora squatted down and looked under the sinks. His eyes widened when he saw Axel laying there.

"What…?" he asked.

"I dunno." Riku shrugged. "I just found him like this. I think he's sick."

"How long ago?"

"About an hour."

"Why didn't you get help?" Sora frowned at Riku.

Riku glared. "Do you think I'd just leave him here when he's like this?"

"I suppose you're right." Sora's face became thoughtful. "I wonder what's caused him to act like this."

"Hell if I know. He's been acting odd lately."

"I know," Sora said softly. "Have you heard him at night?"

"No. Should I have?" Riku frowned.

"Well…" Sora said slowly. "It's hard to say. I've heard him once during the night."

"What did he do?" Riku demanded, angrily running his hand through his hair.

"He got up and ran down the hall. When he came back, he smelled like vomit. I pretended that I was asleep so he wouldn't know I had heard him. He changed his clothes and went back to bed, muttering something about dreams."

"So, he's been having nightmares?" Riku asked slowly.

"I don't know. He would have said something..."

Riku gave him a deadpan look. "Do you think Axel, of all people would say something if he was having nightmares?"

"No," Sora reluctantly said.

"Exactly. He's a stubborn bastard, that's for sure."

"What should we do?" Sora asked.

"I have no fucking clue!" Riku spat.

"Okay…" Sora ignored Riku's sudden outburst. "Let me see…well, we can't leave him here."

"Well duh," Riku snorted.

"Why didn't you carry him?" Sora asked icily.

"I'm not a fucking superhero," Riku muttered.

"Well together maybe we can manage it." Sora dropped to his knees and carefully crawled under the sinks. "Axel?" He touched Axel on the shoulder and was startled when the older boy flinched. He took Axel's arm. Axel gave a cry and twisted away. Sora's eyes widened. "Riku!"

"What? What's wrong?" Riku asked.

He crawled under the sinks and hit his head hard. He let out a long string of profanities. He stopped when he saw the scared look on Sora's face, half concealed in the shadows.

"What's wrong?" he asked again.

"Axel." Sora was sounding more and more frightened by the second. "I think there's something seriously wrong with him."

"What do you mean?"

"Watch what happens if I touch him." Sora reached out and gently touched Axel's arm.

As before, Axel gave a soft cry that was halfway between a whimper and a curse and twisted out of Sora's grasp. Riku's eyes widened.

"What the hell?" he muttered. He looked up at Sora, banging his head on the sinks again. He suppressed a curse. "You don't think…"

"Yes," Sora said gravely. "I think Axel was molested."

Riku let out a low curse. He stared at Sora for a few moments, then glanced at Axel, and looked back at Sora. "We have to tell someone. This can't stay a secret. Axel will probably kick our asses for it. He may even kill us. But we have to tell someone."

"I know." Sora swallowed hard. Neither of them made any sort of movement; they both just stared at Axel. "I…I just can't believe it." Sora's voice was faint.

"It explains a few things though," Riku muttered. Sora looked at him curiously. "Like why he's such a cold bastard. Think about it Sora. If he was treated like shit as a kid, he'd close himself off and wouldn't want to let anyone get near him because he'd be afraid that they'd hurt him. That's why he pushed Roxas away."

"But Roxas isn't like that," Sora said softly. "He would never hurt Axel. He's the kindest, sweetest kid I've ever met."

"You know him better than me." Riku shrugged.

"Axel just doesn't see how kind Roxas is."

"Maybe he does and he just doesn't care?"

Sora frowned. "Must you be so pessimistic?"

Riku shrugged again. "It's what I do best."

Sora managed to smile a little.

"Come on," Riku said, pointing to Axel who was curled up into a ball. "Let's see if we can get this guy outta here."

Sora nodded. He and Riku moved forward.

"Let's try and roll him out," Riku said. "If he throws a fit, then so be it."

Sora and Riku gently grabbed Axel, Sora holding Axel's shoulder and Riku holding Axel's hip. Axel twisted around, but Sora held onto him tightly.

"Easy Axel," Sora said soothingly. "It's just us. Sora and Riku."

"No…please…hurt!" Axel gasped.

Riku and Sora shared a surprised glance.

"We won't hurt you Axel." Sora's tone was extremely gentle. "I promise. Riku and I only want to help you."

Axel didn't seem to hear him. He was too caught up with his own demons. Somehow, Sora and Riku managed to roll him out from underneath the sink and came face to face with Xemnas.

"J…Xemnas," Sora stammered. "W…what are you doing here sir?"

"One of the Breeders came to get me," Xemnas answered. "How long has he been like this?"

"Over an hour sir," Riku answered, struggling to keep his tone respectful.

"I see," Xemnas muttered. He looked at them. "You two may return to your lessons. I'll take it from here."

Riku and Sora both looked surprised at their sudden dismissal, but neither of them dared to defy Xemnas. They got up and brushed the dust that had accumulated on their knees and hands from being underneath the sinks. They silently headed for the door. Suddenly, Riku stopped and turned around.

"Axel was molested, wasn't he?" He burst out, unable to keep it in any longer.

Sora stopped walking and turned around.

Xemnas's expression was sharp. "Did Axel say something?"

"No." Riku shook his head. "We figured it out ourselves. So I'm guessing by your reaction that he was?"

"It's not your business!" Xemnas snapped.

"So he was."

"As I said before, it's not your business."

Riku's face darkened. For a moment, Sora thought he was going to attack Xemnas, but instead, he spat out three syllables.

"Yes. It. Is."

To be continued…

Notes: Holy. Hell. I totally wasn't expecting this to go the way it did. This story is going to be a lot longer than thought. That's the second time I've unexpectedly broken a chapter off. I'm getting farther and farther from the outline I made, but whatever. I think this is much better than what I originally had planned.

Wow, Riku is starting to freak me out a little. I wasn't expecting a more caring side of him to emerge. And then he goes all dark at the end. And Axel…what a piece of work that one is. I'm not sure if I should hate him or feel sorry for him.

About said redhead (hey I made a rhyme!), the reason why this side of him hasn't emerged before is because he was repressing his feelings. Which isn't good. As is fairly obvious. And the reason why he didn't freak out when Riku touched him on the forehead was because he didn't feel threatened. When Sora touched him on the shoulder and then grabbed his arm, he was reminded of his past and the things that happened to him, which cued the freak-out by him. Just wanted to quickly explain that. Wow this was a long chapter. My chapters are getting longer and longer…

Just a note, if I followed what I had originally written, Xaldin would have been the one interacting with Sora and I really didn't like the thought of that so I just sort of stuck Riku in there instead. Ah well. Now RikuxSora fans won't hate me as much. XD


	13. Chapter 13

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this. However, I do own some of the original characters such as Hayden and Harou so please don't steal them.

_I was born in the middle of the day on a hot summer day. According to my father Hayden, it was a really hard labor. I took my time coming out. We were happy, my two fathers, my older brother Riku, and me. Riku was not quite a year old when I was born. Our next brother, Miles wasn't born until I was two and Riku was three. My father Harou had decided that he needed a break from childbirth for a while. When I was four, we moved into a new, bigger house that my father Hayden had built for us since our family was growing._

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13

Roxas was extremely worried when Axel didn't return to his lessons. He became even more worried when Axel didn't appear at lunch.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Zexion said in a soothing voice as Roxas uneasily picked at his food.

Though his voice was soothing, Zexion's cerulean eyes were filled with worry; not only was  
Axel missing, Sora and Riku were gone as well.

_This is not a good sign_. Zexion thought grimly.

He kept his eye on Roxas as they went to their afternoon lessons. The blond was pretending that there was nothing wrong, but Zexion knew Roxas well enough to know that he was worried about Axel. Zexion turned his attention to the front of the room as Mr. Lexaeus started their lesson. He tried to pay attention, but he kept turning to glance at Roxas. The blond was staring straight ahead, not listening to a word of what was being said. His sapphire eyes were troubled. Zexion felt the urge to envelop Roxas in a warm hug and tell him that everything was going to be all right, but it was not the appropriate moment for that.

A sharp knock on the door brought Zexion out of his thoughts. He saw Roxas's posture tense. Mr. Lexaeus stopped talking and blinked a few times.

"Yes, come in," he said when the knocking persisted. The door opened and Xemnas stepped in. "Why hello Director. This is quite a surprise."

"I wonder if I could borrow Roxas for a moment." Xemnas looked extremely serious. "It's very urgent."

"A…all right." Mr. Lexaeus looked surprised and didn't hide it well. He turned to Roxas. "Roxas…?"

"I'm going," Roxas said softly.

He rose slowly and crossed the room. He looked slightly dazed as he went out into the hall. Xemnas closed the door behind them. The entire classroom was still as everyone listened, trying to hear what Xemnas and Roxas were saying. Even Mr. Lexaeus was listening. Roxas gave a muffled cry. Finally, the voices died away and the door opened. Roxas came in, looking even more dazed.

"Roxas?" Mr. Lexaeus asked.

Roxas looked up. "Some…things came up. I…I have to leave."

"All right. I understand," Mr. Lexaeus said gently.

Roxas returned to his seat and started gathering his things. He unexpectedly turned to Zexion and Demyx.

"Can you…can you watch Colin for me?" Roxas asked.

"Sure Roxas," Zexion answered.

"Thank you." Roxas tried to smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes as it usually did.

He finished gathering his things and hastily retreated. Zexion and Demyx shared a surprised glance. Both of them could sense something was wrong. Without ever saying anything out loud, they came to an agreement that they needed to follow Roxas. They stood up and started to leave. Suddenly, Demyx thought of something and crossed the room again. He bent over and picked Colin up from where he lay in his carrier. He ignored the baby's cries of protests as he rejoined Zexion at the door.

"Let's go," he said rather harshly.

Zexion nodded and silently, they departed. Roxas hadn't gotten very far by the time they had decided to leave. Zexion hurried forward and grabbed Roxas by the arm. Roxas whirled around, his entire body rigid, but when he saw that it was Zexion who grabbed him, his posture relaxed.

"Honey what's wrong?" Zexion asked gently, brushing Roxas's bangs out of his eyes. "What's upsetting you.

"It's Axel," Roxas answered faintly.

"Axel? What's that bastard done now?" Demyx growled.

Roxas shook his head violently. "It's not like that!" He paused, his chest heaving. "Axel is sick. Really sick."

Zexion and Demyx stared at him, Demyx's jaw hanging open.

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Zexion asked.

"I don't know!" Roxas cried.

He started sobbing. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand, the tears finally coming. Zexion stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the sobbing blond. Roxas rested his head on Zexion's shoulder. Zexion didn't say anything because there was no need for him to. His actions spoke for themselves.

After Roxas had stopped crying, Zexion pulled away from him so that he could wipe away his tears.

"So what are you gonna do now?" Demyx asked, bouncing Colin up and down in his arms to try and stop his fussing.

"Here, give him to me," Zexion said in an exasperated tone.

He opened his arms and Demyx put the baby into them.

"There there." Zexion's tone was extremely gentle. "It's all right Colin. Don't cry." After a few moments, Colin calmed down. Zexion glared at Demyx. "You have absolutely no childcare skills, do you?"

Demyx shrugged, then turned to Roxas. "Hey, you never answered my question." He blinked and realized that Roxas had already started to walk away. "Hey!" He ran forward and grabbed Roxas's arm. "And where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going to the medical facility to see Axel," Roxas answered in a flat voice, halting his procession, and turning around. "You and Zexion should go back to class."

"Oh no." Demyx shook his head. "We're not going anywhere 'cept maybe to the medical facility. Actually, scratch that. We are going to the medical facility and that's the end of it." Demyx's fierce expression softened a bit. "Roxas, we're your friends. You don't think we'll just leave you to deal with this shit all by yourself, do you?"

The corner of Roxas's lips twitched up into some semblance of a smile. "I guess not."

"Attaboy." Demyx smiled encouragingly.

Zexion joined the two Bearers and the here of them walked to the medical facility. After a bit of persuasion, Roxas, Zexion, and Demyx were allowed into the back to visit Axel. They were shown into a small room filled with all sorts of medical equipment. Axel's three Breeder friends were all there, blocking the view to Axel's bed.

The only one the Bearers were able to recognize was Sora. The other two, a boy with wild dark curls, and a boy with silver hair glared at the newcomers hostilely.

"What the hell is **he **doing here?" the silver haired boy snarled, gesturing to Roxas.

"I am Axel's mate," Roxas answered coldly.

"That means nothing," the boy sneered.

"Riku, shut up," Sora snapped. He sighed softly and rubbed his forehead. "Let me introduce you. This is Riku. No he's not always this grumpy." Sora gestured to the silver haired boy.

Riku snorted and crossed his arms. His smooth, boyish face made him look a lot younger than he actually was. He looked more like he belonged in school rather than at The Institute.

"And this is Xaldin," Sora said, motioning to the dark haired boy.

Unlike Riku, Xaldin looked like he was his age. His curls framed his face in long locks and his eyes were a strange violet color. He did not offer any sort of a greeting.

"We know who Roxas is," Riku said to Sora. "So who are the other two?"

"I can hear you," Demyx said loudly.

"I wasn't talking to you," Riku retorted. "So who are they?"

Sora frowned. You should remember them. The other dark silver haired boy is Zexion, Saix's mate. And the other blond haired boy is Marluxia's mate, Demyx."

"And the kid is Axel's?" Riku asked, eyeing Colin.

"Yes Riku," Sora said patiently. "This is Colin."

Riku stepped forward and curiously peered at Colin. "He looks a lot like Roxas. He really looks like Roxas. But I can see a bit of Axel in him, especially in the eyes. Here I thought the kid would be cursed with Axel's bright red hair, but apparently that's not the case. Huh."

"How is Axel doing?" Roxas asked, turning to Sora.

Sora's kind face was deeply etched with worry. "There's been no change."

"What's wrong with him?"

Sora hesitated. "He…I…can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

"Let me." Riku grabbed Roxas by the arm and dragged him out of the small room. "The only reason I'm doing this is because Axel is my friend. You do have a right to know what's going on because whether I like it or now, you are his mate. You're bonded together for life. Axel…I don't know him very well. He and I came to The Institute at roughly around the same time and though I see him as a friend, I still don't know that much about him. I couldn't believe when I found out…" He stopped.

"Found out what?" Roxas asked breathlessly.

Riku didn't answer at once. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

"Roxas, I...ugh." Riku ran his fingers through his hair. "Fuck. I suck at trying to explain things."

"It's all right," Roxas said softly. "Take your time. I can tell what you're trying to tell me is very important."

Riku stared at him for a few moments, then shook his head. He thought for a while.

"You saw today…how he freaked out in class right?" he asked.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "Does this have anything to do with how he is now?"

"Of course it does," Riku said impatiently. He shook his head and tried to control his temper. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Roxas said soothingly. "Keep explaining."

"Well, after Axel didn't return to class, I cut class to find him. Took me so damn long to find him. I found him in the strangest place--under the sinks in the bathroom."

"What was he doing there?" Roxas asked curiously.

"No fucking clue." Riku stopped. "Sorry. I have a bad habit of swearing."

Roxas shrugged. "Nothing I haven't heard before."

Riku stared at him again. "You really are something else." Roxas blushed. "Anyway, I found him laying under the sinks shaking and sh…stuff. I didn't want to leave him so I stayed there until Sora showed up. We tried to get Axel to move but when Sora grabbed his arm…" Riku trailed off, staring at the wall over Roxas's shoulder as he remember the events that had already long passed by.

Riku shook his head and brought his thoughts back to the present.

"Roxas…" his voice was unusually gentle. "There's something I've got to tell you. I just…I just don't know how to say it. Fuck. I'm just going to say it. I'm pretty sure that…" Riku sighed softly. "I'm very sure that Axel was molested as a child. Like sexually molested. He may even have been raped." He looked at Roxas.

Roxas had frozen, his posture rigid.

"Are you…are you sure?" he breathed.

"Fairly sure, yes. Sora was the one who first thought of it. When I asked Xemnas, he snapped at me that it wasn't my business, and when I asked again, he got even angrier. That didn't really sit well me, you know?" Riku stared at Roxas meaningfully. Roxas nodded. "It made me think that he was hiding something. Actually, no it made me sure that he was hiding something."

"I agree," Roxas murmured.

"Plus it explains a few things," Riku continued. "Like why he's so freaking messed up in the head."

Roxas was frozen again, thinking.

"Yes, it does," he whispered, his eyes wide. "It makes perfect sense. God, why didn't I see this before?"

"Don't beat yourself over it," Riku said. "None of us figured out until now and we've known him a lot longer than you have. Axel's an unreadable block of ice."

Roxas nodded. "But I can't blame him for trying to protect his heart by closing it off. He's a lot stronger than I am, to have survived for so long after something like this has happened."

"Yet at the same time, he shouldn't have repressed his feelings for this long because look where he's at."

It was Roxas's turn to stare at Riku. "You're right. Axel is an idiot in some respects."

Riku cracked a small smile.

"You're all right kid," he said gruffly. "You're all right." He awkwardly patted Roxas's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go back in there." He jerked his thumb at the door to Axel's room.

The two of them started to head back into the small room. Suddenly, Riku stopped and turned around.

"Hey," he said in a low voice. "Don't tell anyone what I told you, okay? Even your two pals. I don't think Axel wants it broadcasted around what happened to him. Besides, I'm not totally sure I'm right about this."

Roxas nodded. "I understand."

"Thank you."

Riku went into the small room first, with Roxas silently following behind. Riku immediately gravitated to Sora.

"Did you tell him?" Sora asked in a low voice.

"Yes," Riku answered. "He seemed to take it well, at least from what I could tell. He seemed a bit shocked, but I can't blame him."

"Yeah," Sora said softly, looking at Roxas, who was approaching his mate's bed. "I don't either."

"He's a good kid," Riku said out of the blue. "Axel's very lucky to have someone like him in his life."

"Yes." Sora nodded.

"Axel?" Roxas asked softly, walking forward. "Axel, it's me. I'm here now." Tears clouded his vision. He blinked them away.

He stopped by Axel's side and sucked in his breath. Axel looked so…sick. It was so sudden. But then again, Roxas reflected, the change could have been happening over a long period of time and Roxas would have never even noticed.

Axel's fiery red hair was a tangled mess and stuck out in every direction imaginable. His skin was deathly pale, which made his hair stand out even more. He was dressed in a loose gown, an IV stuck in his large arm. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and his breath clouded the inside of the plastic. Roxas took in an unsteady breath and reached out. He gently placed his hand on top of Axel's. He was surprised to find the skin burning; his deathly pale complexion suggested that he would be cold.

"Hi Axel," he whispered. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

The Breeders and Bearers alike could see that no matter how much Axel had hurt Roxas, the blond still loved him with all his heart. It made Zexion sad and Demyx angry, but there was nothing they could do.

To be continued…

Notes: Riku, Riku, Riku, what are you doing? You weren't supposed to go off and tell Roxas that Axel had been molested. Actually, you and Sora weren't supposed to find that out in the first place. I got back to my outline only to deviate again. And I threw in a bit of random dialogue with Sora and Riku that I just wrote in when typing the chapter up (I always write chapters out first) about how Riku is stating that Roxas is a good guy. That always seems to happen to me.

Aw, Riku's finally warming up to Roxas. Now if only Axel could do the same…(laughs bitterly) My characters are such drama queens.


	14. Chapter 14

_Bryan was my best friend growing up. The two of us were incredibly close. He protected me and I looked up to him. We were two of a kind. When Bryan reached puberty, everything changed. All of a sudden he was filled with raging hormones and became even more affectionate than usual. It was a strange feeling. I knew my parents wanted me to marry a sister (which sounded insanely gross) but I didn't have any sisters yet. My fathers were trying, but all they got were sons. _

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Chapter 14

Axel groaned softly and forced his eyes open. He stared at a strange tiled ceiling for several minutes, not understanding where he was or what he was doing there in the first place. There was a blinding light shining in his eyes that made his head ache terribly. He tried to reach up with his hand to block the light from his eyes, but he couldn't move. Panic started setting in and he twisted around, trying to get free. A warm hand was gently placed on his chest and he stopped moving.

"Don't try and move," a soft voice said. "You've been restrained so you don't hurt yourself."

Axel tried to say something, but all that came out was a low groan.

"How do you feel?" the voice asked.

"Light hurts," Axel groaned.

The light was dimmed.

"How's that?" the voice asked again.

"Better," Axel answered.

He blinked and the room came into better focus. He moved his head to the side and blinked to make sure he was not seeing things. Roxas sat in a very uncomfortable-looking chair with a straight metal back. Something stirred in the pit of Axel's stomach when he saw Roxas sitting by his side with a washcloth in his hands.

"Roxas?" he whispered.

"Hi Axel." Roxas smiled.

"Wh…wh…" Axel couldn't get the words out.

"They've been keeping you sedated for the past couple days to make sure you didn't hurt yourself while you were out of it," Roxas explained.

"I…I don't understand." Axel licked his dry lips. "How…how long have I been here?"

"You've been here for several days," Roxas answered, getting to his feet.

Axel followed him with his eyes as he walked over to a table in the corner and picked up a pitcher that rested there. He instinctively licked his lips as Roxas poured some clear liquid into a glass. Roxas gently set the pitcher back on the table and brought the glass over. Axel blinked in surprise when Roxas pressed the glass against his lips.

"Here," Roxas said softly. "Drink." Axel stared at him in astonishment and then glared at him. "Don't be a stubborn ass right now. Drink the goddamned water."

Axel finally caved, his need for water more urgent than his pride at the moment. He allowed Roxas to tip the glass so he could drink.

"Go slow," Roxas urged. "You'll bring it back up if you drink too fast."

Axel nodded slightly and slowed his pace. Finally, the glass was empty and Roxas brought it back to the table in the corner. Axel intently watched him as he walked to the table and then returned to his seat.

"Why are you here?" Axel asked harshly.

"Xemnas told me that you were here, sick so I came," Roxas answered softly.

"Why do you care?" Axel spat. "Why do you care about me?"

"I am your mate." Roxas's expression was gentle. "I made a promise to protect you and love you and I'm not going to break that promise." Axel stared at him. Roxas's voice trembled as he went on, "besides…I…I love you."

Axel felt his breath leave him. He stared at the ceiling, unable to look at his mate any longer.

"Axel?" Roxas asked softly. "Axel, please look at me."

"Why should I?" Axel snarled.

"Don't do this!" Roxas's voice rose.

"Do what?"

"Stop trying to push me away!"

"I don't…"

"I know!" Roxas exploded. "I know what happened to you!" He exhaled slowly. "Riku told me…how you reacted to being touched and that you might have been molested.

"Riku…?" Axel whispered. He didn't remember anything that had happened.

"Were you…?" Roxas asked.

"You have no fucking clue what happened to me!" Axel hissed.

"So you were," Roxas breathed. "Please tell me. Please let me help you."

"I can't…" Axel swallowed hard. "You can't help me. No one can save me."

Tears stung Roxas's eyes. He leaned over and tenderly pressed his lips against Axel's temple. "Well, I can at least try, right?"

-----

Despite Axel's insensitive words and rough manner, Roxas remained by Axel's side almost constantly, only taking time out to eat, use the bathroom, nurse Colin, and sleep. Zexion and Demyx dropped by from time to time to check on him and to make sure he was eating. Zexion finally transitioned from his regular uniform into maternity clothes. His rounded stomach was growing larger and larger with each passing day.

Slowly, Axel began to recall what had happened through talking to Riku and Sora. He shuddered when he remembered the unpleasant flashback to his past coupled with a rush of distorted images and voices that made everything seem so hellish. Slowly, his health returned and eventually he was able to go back to the dormitories. Roxas returned to his and Axel thought that would be the end of it, but to his dismay, he was called to Xemnas's office one day. To his greater dismay, Roxas was already present, Colin in his arms.

"Come in Axel," Xemnas said, scarcely looking up from writing something at his desk.

Axel wordlessly brushed past Roxas and Colin, his lips pursed.

"What is he doing here?" he asked, gesturing to Roxas.

"he's here because I called him here and he's your mate," Xemnas answered coldly. "And now that you're here, we can discuss why you're here. I'm afraid the time has come for your son to be put in foster care."

"So why am I here?" Axel snarled.

"You are here because he's your son," Roxas snapped back.

"Enough Roxas," Xemnas interrupted before Roxas could say more. "The protocol demands that you be here Axel, whether you want to or not. This also means that we have to make a little trip to see the Council."

"Lave The Institute?" Axel croaked, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Only temporarily. We will be gone for most of the day."

"When are we leaving?" Roxas asked.

"Tomorrow morning. The guards will come and get you when it's time for us to leave."

"But why are we going to see the Council?"

Xemnas smiled. "It's all standard procedure. You will meet with the Council and then meet the family who will take care of Colin."

Roxas nodded and swallowed hard.

"Is that all you wanted?" Axel asked.

"No. I want to talk to you for a few moments Axel. Roxas, you're dismissed."

Roxas nodded and silently shuffled out of the room. The guards escorted him back to the dormitories. The other Bearers were at dinner, with the exception of Zexion and Demyx.

"Roxas? What's wrong?" Zexion asked, heaving himself off the bed where he had been waiting with Demyx.

"I have to give Colin up for adoption tomorrow," Roxas answered in a small voice.

Zexion sucked in his breath. "O…oh."

"I thought I was ready for this, but now I'm not so sure." Roxas fought hard to keep the tears out of his voice.

"I know sweetie," Zexion said gently.

Roxas burst into tears, which woke Colin up and made him start crying. Zexion sighed softly an took Colin from Roxas's arms. He walked over to Demyx, who was still sitting on Zexion's bed.

"Here. You deal with Colin. I'll deal with Roxas," he said shortly.

"Wha…but…hey! I thought you said my childcare skills sucked!" Demyx protested.

"They do. But I have to take care of Roxas." Zexion's glare was enough to shut Demyx up.

Satisfied, Zexion walked back over to Roxas and took him in his arms. Initially, Roxas stiffened at the contact but then he simply melted in Zexion's embrace. He sobbed into Zexion's uniform for what seemed like hours. Finally, he wore himself out and allowed Zexion to lead him over to his bunk so he could lay down. Colin had fallen asleep in Demyx's arms.

"He's not so bad when he's not, you know, screaming his lungs out," Demyx whispered.

Zexion smiled. "Here, give him to me. I'll put him in bed."

Demyx willingly handed Colin over to his lover. Colin stirred a little but didn't wake up. Zexion gently lay him in the crib that had been set up next to Roxas's bunk and tucked him in. Then, he turned to Roxas who was fast asleep. Zexion carefully covered him with a blanket and lightly kissed his temple.

"Sleep well Roxas," he whispered.

He straightened up and walked over to where Demyx waited.

"You all right Zex?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah," Zexion answered with a curt nod. "I just hate having to see him like this. I hate seeing him in pain."

"So do I Zex." Demyx's expression was sorrowful. "I always feel my heart breaking a bit when he starts crying."

Zexion nodded. Demyx stepped forward. Their lips met for a swift, hesitant kiss. They pulled apart before it turned into anything serious. Demyx stared at Zexion for a few seconds before they pressed their lips together again. Zexion gave a soft groan when Demyx nipped playfully at his neck.

"Demyx, we…we can't," he groaned.

"I know," Demyx responded, sucking on the skin of Zexion's neck.

A door slammed open causing them to jump apart. Demyx raked his fingers through his long hair as the dormitory filled. He shot a quick glance at Zexion, who stared at the ground guiltily. Neither of them spoke for the rest of the night

To be continued…

Notes: I'm sorry it was short this time around. Like really short. The next several chapters are going to be epic. Things are going to get...well you'll see. The next chapter will introduce the mysterious Council that I've dropped hints about in previous chapters. That's all I'm gonna spill. You'll have to find out the rest when the next chapter is posted.

I honestly really don't like this chapter. It just sucks. I'll go back and make it better later, I promise.


	15. Chapter 15

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy VII (who are randomly thrown in) nor am I making any money off this. I do own the original characters.

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_When I was thirteen years old, Bryan kissed me for the very first time. It was the strangest feeling in the world to be kissed by someone who wasn't your own parent. _

_"What was that?" I demanded after Bryan had pulled away from me._

_Bryan's gaze was oddly distant. "I love you Jay. I love you so much."_

_"W…what?" I stammered. _

_"I love you." Bryan gently brushed my hair out of my eyes. "You are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen and I want you so bad."_

_I did the only thing I could._

_I ran._

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Chapter 15

The next morning, Roxas was silent at breakfast. Zexion and Demyx understood why and left him alone. They watched with sad expressions on their faces. On the Breeders' side of the room, Axel was strangely subdued.

"You okay?" Riku asked in a low voice.

"Fine. Leave me alone," Axel snapped.

Riku didn't flinch at Axel's harsh tone.

"All right." He shrugged.

Breakfast ended and the Bearers and the Breeders started their usual trek to their first lesson. Demyx and Zexion hung back with Roxas who was finishing up his breakfast. He was slower than usual because of Colin; the six month old was starting to eat food in addition to the breast milk Roxas provided. Once the two of them had finished, Demyx took care of the tray while Roxas got up.

"So I guess we've gotta say goodbye to Colin, huh?" Demyx asked softly, returning to where they were.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded sadly.

"Can I hold him?" Demyx asked.

"Of course."

Demyx held out his arms and Roxas put Colin in them. Colin started fussing a little, but quickly settled down.

"There we go. You're a good kid. I'm really gonna miss you. I've gotten used to having you around."

Colin looked up at Demyx inquisitively and then he smiled. Demyx felt a piece of his heart crack.

"Here." His voice cracked.

He handed Colin to Zexion who held him for several minutes before relinquishing him to Roxas once again.

"We'll see you tonight," Demyx said.

"Yeah." Roxas tightened his arms around his son.

Zexion stepped forward and put his arms around Roxas for a brief hug.

"Stay strong, okay honey?" he whispered.

"I'll try," Roxas replied.

"Demyx and I both love you."

"Me too." Roxas's voice was filled with his unshed tears.

Zexion pulled away. He watched Roxas leave with Colin in his arms. Demyx wrapped around Zexion and the two of them walked to their lesson.

Roxas was escorted to John's office by several guards. Axel was there, handcuffed, and surrounded by several more guards. For once, Xemnas wasn't sitting behind his desk, but stood at the window looking out.

One of the guards cleared his throat nervously and Xemnas turned. "I brought the boy, sir."

"Ah yes. Thank you." Xemnas smiled. "Now that you're here, Roxas, we can proceed. As I said before, we're going to see the Council, which requires us to leave The Institute. I expect both of you to be on your best behavior while we're out. The rest of the world is very much aware of The Institute and what it does, but they do not know the intimate details. We try and keep it as quiet as possible so we'll probably receive quite a bit of attention. I know it'll be hand, but try and ignore the stares and whatever else may happen. With that said, I believe it's time ofr us to leave."

Xemnas was the first to leave the office with Roxas and Colin right behind him. Axel was led out last, surrounded by a numerous amount of guards. They left The Institute through a side door and for the first time in over three years, Roxas stepped outside. He blinked at the harsh light, unused to what real light was like. A black limo waited for them just beyond the door parked on a gravel drive. The back door had been opened.

"Climb in first Roxas," Xemnas instructed.

Roxas nodded and handed Colin to one of the guards so he could get in. When he was situated, the guard handed Colin back to Roxas. Several guards got in on both sides and surrounded Roxas. Then, Axel got in, seated across from his mate. The rest of the guard sat around him. Xemnas sat up front with the driver.

Roxas stared out the window for the entire ride, which had been rolled down to let the fresh air in. He had forgotten how beautiful the world was. They drove through the countryside with gentle rolling hills that soon became dotted with houses. Eventually, the houses started becoming closer and closer together and the land flattened out. The countryside became a city that gave rise to large buildings that glistened in the sun. Their pace slowed as the streets became choked with more and more cars. Finally, the limo stopped.

"We have arrived," Xemnas announced.

The doors were opened and everyone climbed out. Axel's wrists were released from the handcuffs. He rubbed them to get circulation back in them. They had stopped in front of a large white marble building. The building was decorated with ornate statutes of angels.

"This is the building where the Council meets," Xemnas explained in a low voice for Roxas's benefit. "The Council is the governing body. They make the rules and let the police force enforce them. They were also the founders of The Institute when the number of Bearers started to dramatically drop. They deal a lot with The Institute and have a keen interest in its running. I essentially run the Institute as I see fit, but I receive some guidance from the Council and they oversee the whole thing."

They went into the building and looked around, feeling more than a little uncomfortable. He was so used to the plainness of The Institute that seeing this place made it seem like he was in a dream. The hall was enormous and empty for the most part. The floors were made of nice tiles that made a pattern across the floor. There were columns that held the building up made of white marble. Across the hall were a row of metal doors that turned out to be elevators. Even the inside of the elevator was expensively decorated. They rode in an elevator up to the third floor and when the metal doors slid open with a slight hiss, they found themselves in a large reception area much like the one in the Medical Facility of The Institute. The only real difference was that there were actually people there. Xemnas uttered directions to the guards and went to the receptionist's desk. One of the guards gently touched Roxas on the arm.

"This way," he said softly.

He guided Roxas to an empty seat in the corner. Axel sat next to him. The guards stood around them. After Xemnas had finished talking to the receptionist, he joined them.

"We have to wait for a few minutes," he told them.

They waited. Roxas tried to keep Colin quiet so people wouldn't stare at him. Despite his efforts, they attracted many curious glances. It was pretty obvious where they were from.

Their names were called at last and they all got up, attracting even more curious looks. A woman around forty or so led them into the Council's chambers. She left them at the door. The chamber was dimly lit, casting shadows on the faces of the occupants of the room. The Council members sat behind a large wooden desk in a half circle. There were twelve of them altogether, right men and four women, all of them in their forties or fifties. Their faces all looked as though they were etched from stone and if they didn't blink every now and then, Roxas would have believed that they were statues, which scared him. For some reason, he was cold and gave a quiet shudder. Instinctively, Axel moved closer to him and didn't correct his position.

"Are these the two you spoke of?" a woman with long raven hair asked in a dramatic voice.

"Yes," Xemnas responded, his tone respectful. "This is Axel and his mate Roxas." He motioned first to Axel and then Roxas. The woman's steely glance fixed on Colin. "Ah yes, this is Colin, Axel and Roxas's son."

"We wish to speak to Axel and Roxas separately," the woman said.

"All right," Xemnas responded.

"We have set up a small private room for you to wait in." A man with bright red hair that hung down his back gestured toward a door to their immediate left. "Xemnas, if you and Roxas would be kind enough to wait, we'll speak to Axel first."

Xemnas nodded and went with Roxas and Colin and several of the guards through the door the man indicated.

The room was small and empty except for several pieces of furniture; chairs, couches, and a small wooden table. It was better lit than the Council's chamber and even had several small windows. Best of all, it was warm. Roxas sank onto one of the threadbare couches and kept Colin occupied. The minutes dragged on. At lunchtime, food was sent in for them. Roxas hastily ate something, not even caring what it was, and then turned his attention to Colin. He decided that he was just going to nurse Colin to make it easier. He opened his shirt and held Colin to his breast. After a few seconds, Colin started suckling.

Xemnas watched interestedly. "It appears you've gotten the hang of it."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed.

After Colin had finished, Roxas closed his shirt again. Axel finally returned with his guards, looking immensely drained.

"Are you okay?" Roxas asked worriedly.

"I'm fine!" Axel snapped.

He sank down in a chair and put his face in his hands. There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Roxas's presence is requested in front of the Council," an unfamiliar woman said.

Roxas took in a shaky breath and got up with Colin in his arms.

When he entered the Council's chambers, he noticed that they hadn't changed their position at all.

"So," a man's voice rang out across the floor. "You are Roxas?"

"Yes sir," Roxas answered nervously.

"And how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"I see. And you like your life at The Institute?"

"Yes. It's very nice. They treat us well."

"Do you have friends?"

"Yes. Zexion and Demyx."

"Bearers like you?"

"Yes."

"And what do you think of your mate?"

"Oh…uh…he's all right. He and I don't get to interact very much because they separate us, of course."

"You don't think he's cold?"

"He's a little standoffish, I admit, but he does have some good qualities."

"Oh? Such as…?"

"Well he's very loyal, strong, brave, and very passionate."

"And how is he in bed?"

Roxas flushed. "It was…not bad. He was…surprisingly gentle my first time."

"So you are satisfied with your sex life?"

Roxas shifted uncomfortably. "We only had sex once, so I can't say for sure."

"That is a fair answer. So…you have a child with Axel?"

"Yes." Roxas nodded, shifting Colin in his arms. "This is Colin."

"How old is he now?"

"He's six months old."

"How old were you when he was born?"

"I was almost fifteen."

"That means that you have only had one heat, if my calculations are correct."

"Yes. I got pregnant my very first time."

There was a low murmuring from the Council.

"Roxas, do you fear your mate?" A bald headed man asked.

Roxas hesitated, thinking carefully. "I did…at first. But I don't anymore because I've gotten to know him a lot better and I understand him."

The Council members looked surprised at his answers. They were silent for a while.

"We have no further questions for you. You may return to the other chamber," the man who had been questioning him told him.

Roxas nodded and brought Colin back into the other room. Axel hadn't moved since the last time Roxas had seen him. Roxas silently sat on the same couch as before, Colin on his lap. After a few minutes, Xemnas was called into the Council room alone, leaving Roxas and Axel alone for the most part. There were guards present in the room, but they ignored Roxas and Axel. Roxas and Axel ignored each other as well.

"Roxas? Axel?" Xemnas asked, suddenly sticking his head in the room. "It's time."

Roxas stiffened slightly. He let out a long breath and got up. Axel mirrored his actions. They went back into the Council's chambers. There was a young couple standing off to the side. Roxas was aware of a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Roxas, Axel, I'd like you to meet Aerith and Zack. They are going to be Colin's foster parents," Xemnas said, motioning to the couple. Roxas nodded, his throat tight. "Aerith, Zack, this is Roxas who gave birth to Colin and his mate Axel."

Roxas stared at the couple. The man was dark-haired and the woman was a brunette. They were in their early thirties.

"Hi Roxas," Aerith said softly, stepping forward. Roxas moved to meet her. Zack and Axel remained where they were. "Is this Colin?"

"Yes," Roxas answered politely.

"Oh," Aerith breathed. "He's beautiful."

"Would you like to hold him?" Roxas asked.

"Yes."

Roxas handed his precious son over to her and slowly stood back. He stood by Axel. Axel glanced over at Roxas. The blond was watching Aerith take Colin over to her husband, an incredibly sad look on his face.

Suddenly, Axel had an urge to put a comforting hand on his mate's shoulder. He blinked, surprised at the sudden surge of emotions. But was it such a bad thing? He didn't know anymore.

Xemnas placed a hand on Roxas's shoulder and silently indicated that they should leave. Roxas nodded and slowly moved toward the door. Axel followed. Aerith glanced up at them as they passed, startled. Roxas looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. Axel pursed his lips, wishing he was anywhere but there.

Once they had left the building, Roxas lost control. Without any sort of a warning, he threw himself at Axel and completely broke down. The guards started to move forward to separate them, but Xemnas waved them away. He watched Roxas and Axel intently. Axel was stiff and he looked like he wanted to push Roxas away, but he never did. The guards and Xemnas looked on in stunned silence as Axel gently wrapped his arms around his mate and just held him.

"Axel, I think we need to get going," Xemnas said quietly.

They were attracting quite a few stares. Axel nodded and started moving toward the limo, which was difficult for him because Roxas was tightly clinging to him. Somehow, they managed to get in. The guards climbed in after them and as before, Xemnas sat up front with the driver. Roxas cried for the entire trip back to The Institute.

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Axel couldn't concentrate at his afternoon lessons. He still didn't understand why he had reacted the way he had to Roxas after he had started crying even though nearly a month had passed and Roxas had calmed down. At first, he had thought it was merely instinct that drove him. Now he wasn't so sure. He had felt something when Roxas broke down. It was small, but he was sure it was there.

Finally, the lessons came to an end and they briefly went back to the dormitories before heading for dinner. On the way, Axel caught a glimpse of Roxas with his two friends and made up his mind. He knew what he had to do in order to make things right. Part of him had already accepted it, a larger part than he thought…

Axel boldly stepped into the Bearer's dormitories after he was sure they were all gone to dinner. As he predicted, Roxas had lagged behind, and even better, his two friends were gone. This made his job so much easier. Roxas looked up at the sound of his footsteps and a startled expression crossed his face. Axel knew what he was about to attempt was risky, but he had stopped caring a long time ago.

Roxas watched him through cool sapphire eyes as he approached, however, he didn't stop Axel's path. As his mate drew nearer and nearer, he started to get nervous, but for some unexplainable reason, he couldn't bring himself to draw away. Such was Axel's power over him.

"W…what are you doing?" he stammered.

Axel did not speak, but allowed his actions to instead. He wrapped his arms around Roxas's frame. His lips gently pressed to his mate's for a slow, hesitant kiss. Roxas was quick to pull away, though he couldn't break Axel's hold.

"What the hell was that?" he growled in a low voice that reminded Axel of the bad blood between them.

New feelings of guilt washed over him. It was his fault that they were so distant. Roxas had never hurt Axel or even tried to. It had always been the other way around. Axel had tried to protect his heart from being hurt, but in the process, he had hurt the one person who would possibly love him despite everything he'd done.

"Axel?" Roxas asked.

Axel stared at his mate for a long time, the words getting all jumbled up in his head.

"That was…exactly what you thought it was," he said finally.

"Stop talking in riddles!"

"Can I not kiss my own mate?"

Roxas's eyes widened. "Does that mean you accept me…accept us?"

"Yes." Axel nodded.

"And you think…that I'm just going to pretend like nothing happened, that you didn't ignore me for over three years and just forgive you?"

"No." Axel shook his head. Roxas's eyes widened even more as Axel continued, "I don't expect you to forgive me for anything. I don't deserve to be forgiven. I was a cold, heartless bastard and that's inexcusable. I don't expect us to have a relationship. I understand you hate me for what I did. I hate myself for it. You did nothing to deserve the way I've been treating you and I'm sorry. I really am sorry."

Roxas looked like he was going to say something but Axel stopped him. "Roxas, please let me finish. Over and over again, you showed me kindness I didn't deserve. And when you told me that you loved me, when I was in the medical wing, I didn't know what to thing or how to react. No one had ever said that to me before, not even my own parents." Axel swallowed hard. "I told myself that I didn't feel anything for you. Never had, never would. I couldn't. But I was wrong." Axel shook his head. "God, I was so wrong."

"What are you trying to say?" Roxas asked.

"Roxas…" Axel's voice was the softest Roxas had ever heard it be. "Roxas…I love you."

Three simple words, three simple words that had taken him years to say. And now, knowing Roxas would never accept them…

"I'll leave now Roxas. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come. I can see that you still hate my guts."

"Yeah?" Roxas hissed. "Well I guess you don't know me as well as you think you do."

"Roxas…mmph." Axel grunted as Roxas unexpectedly threw himself at him, pressing their lips together.

"What? I don't understand," Axel said with a frown when Roxas had pulled away.

"I love you, asshole," Roxas growled.

Axel kissed him again, this time with a lot more feeling.

Zexion stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what was causing Roxas to miss dinner. He and Axel were locked in the most passionate kiss he had ever seen. Axel had Roxas pinned against the wall and was kissing him with such a force Zexion had never seen before. And Roxas was responding to the kisses eagerly. A smug grin flitted across Zexion's face as he turned to Demyx.

"You owe me five bucks."

To be continued…

Notes: (gives huge evil grin). I had that scene with Axel and Roxas at the end there planned since the beginning. I changed it and added a lot more detail to what I had originally written, but I knew this was going to happen the whole time. Even before I knew Axel was sexually molested. (dodges random flying objects for cliffhanger) Don't kill me? Please? Otherwise you won't see what happens with Axel and Roxas.

Concerning Zexion and Demyx, the two of them had a bet going about whether or not Axel was ever going to come around or not. There are slight references to betting in one of the earlier chapters, but I didn't go into any detail. But yeah, Zexion and Demyx made a bet on Axel. Looks like Zexion had a lot more faith in him than Demyx did.

I threw in a couple of references to Final Fantasy with Zack and Aerith. And I even referred to Reno and Rude if you can find them. Hee hee hee.


	16. Chapter 16

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy VII. I do own the original characters though. I'm not making money from this either.

-----------------------

_Bryan avoided me for three days after he told me he loved me. I was fine with that; I needed time alone to think. If my fathers noticed that something was wrong, they didn't say anything about it. They were busy with their own problems. I was glad for this as well because I didn't want them to bother me. It would have only made things worse. It wasn't that my parents didn't care about me, it was just that both of them had a lot on their minds. _

_On the fourth day, Bryan came to me once more. He looked…awful. He looked like he hadn't slept in days or eaten anything. Part of me felt guilty for this, but I knew it wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault he had fallen in love with me. _

_"What do you want?" I asked as he came close._

_Bryan's eyes were dim as he stopped in front of me. "Jay, I…I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."_

_"No." I shook my head. "You didn't hurt me at all, Bryan. You just sort of scared me a little. I just…I didn't know what I should think about that. But now I know."_

_I leaned in and gently pressed my lips to his._

------------------------------

Chapter 16

At first, Demyx was confused as to why he had lost five dollars, but when he saw Roxas and Axel, making out, he suddenly understood.

"Oh. Right." Was all he managed to say.

Zexion cleared his throat. "It's nice to see you two have kissed and made up, but do you think you could go somewhere more private?"

Roxas and Axel broke apart, Roxas looking thoroughly embarrassed and Axel looking slightly murderous.

"Hey, don't give me that nasty look." Zexion held his hands up in defense. "I'm very happy that you and Roxas are finally getting along, but I'm sure you'll be a lot happier if you go to a more private place."

"You're right," Roxas murmured. He turned to Axel. "He's right, you know."

"Yeah." Axel nodded. "I know where we can go. Come on."

The two of them left, their fingers entwined. Demyx stared after them.

"Holy fuck," he muttered. He shook his head. "Holy. Fuck."

Zexion simply rolled his eyes.

------------------------------

Axel brought Roxas into one of the rooms the Breeders and Bearers mated and closed and locked the door behind them.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to use this room even though I'm not in heat?" Roxas asked, a worried expression crossing his face.

"Let's put it this way," Axel murmured, twirling his fingers through several of Roxas's golden locks, "this is the best place we could be. I'm fairly sure the others wouldn't really appreciate it if we had sex in…other places."

Roxas smiled. He and Axel stared at each other for several minutes.

"Are you ready for this?" Axel questioned.

Roxas stared up at him through calm sapphire eyes. "Yes."

"This isn't like before."

"I'm well aware of that." Roxas's mouth hovered several inches away from Axel's, hesitated.

Axel was the one who finished the kiss. Their lips pressed together, came apart, and came back together again. Roxas deepened the kiss and Axel went along with it. The kisses became longer, hotter. Axel pressed his tongue to Roxas's lips and he parted them. Axel slid his tongue around the hot mouth and started suckling on Roxas's tongue. They broke away for a quick breath, then went at it again. Axel started Roxas's pale neck. They walked backward to the bed and lay down. Axel straddled Roxas's hips and leaned down to steal some more kisses. He reached down and pulled Roxas's shirt off. He kissed Roxas's neck and gently nipped at the skin. His mouth worked lower and lower, sucking on the pert nipples, causing Roxas to moan softly. The blond tossed his head from side to side. Axel placed slow kisses on Roxas's belly. He paused when he reached Roxas's pants down. He pushed Roxas's pants down to his knees and then his boxers. He paused again and then moved his mouth down. Roxas gave a harsh gasp when Axel took him in his mouth. He thrust his hips up in rhythm with Axel's licks and sucks.

"Don't…stop!" he wheezed. "P…please!"

Axel nodded and continued. Roxas groaned softly.

"Axel, I'm gonna…I'm gonna…"

Axel stopped for a moment. "It's all right."

He took Roxas back in his mouth and started licking and sucking again. Roxas stiffened as he felt himself come and cried out his mate's name. Axel didn't mind that he had come in his mouth. He simply swallowed Roxas's seed. He withdrew his mouth and while Roxas lay panting on the bed, he shed his clothes.

"Are you all right?" Axel asked, watching Roxas panting and sweating.

"Yes!" Roxas gasped. "It was…amazing."

Axel smiled at him.

"Are you ready for more?" he asked.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

"I won't push you."

"Axel," Roxas whispered, reaching up and cupping Axel's chin. "I want to, okay? I really want to."

"All right," Axel murmured.

His lips found Roxas's again and he straddled his mate. Roxas ground his hips against Axel's, causing the redhead to moan at the contact. Axel spread Roxas's legs and moved his hand down to prepare him. Roxas watched him anxiously, trying to keep his mind off the pain. Axel withdrew his fingers and pressed into his mate. Roxas gave a soft whimper and seized Axel by the shoulders to steady himself.

"Are you okay?" Axel asked, genuinely concerned.

"F…fine," Roxas gasped.

He lifted his head up off the sheets and kissed Axel's lips. Axel slid in further and started a pattern of slow thrusts. Roxas moaned and whimpered, his fingers tightly clenching Axel's back. Their teeth clacked against each other and their tongues battled each other. Axel came into his mate and then withdrew. He collapsed next to his mate, utterly spent. Roxas smiled at him for several minutes before drifting off into sleep, resting his head on his mate's bare chest. Axel covered both of them with a large blanket and watched Roxas sleep, his mind elsewhere.

Axel stayed with that man for several years. He didn't keep track so he didn't know for sure. The man, whose name Axel never learned, taught Axel how to seduce men and he started sleeping with men for money at the age of eleven. That man forcibly took away his virginity first. Sleeping with men for money wasn't something Axel was proud of, but it was the only way for him to survive. The man refused to feed him so he had to buy food on his own, which required money, which forced him to sleep with men for money.

It was while Axel was whoring himself that he met Xemnas. Xemnas was never one of his customers, but he frequently visited the place where Axel was living. Axel didn't meet Xemnas face to face for quite a long time, though he had seen him from a distance. One day, Xemnas introduced himself to Axel and they started talking.

"Who are you?" Axel asked.

Xemnas chuckled and smiled. "My name is Xemnas and I'm the director of a place called The Institute. Have you heard of it?"

"Yeah, it's where the Bearers mate with the Breeders, right?" Axel answered slowly.

"Yes, that's correct." Xemnas nodded.

"So what are you doing here?" Axel asked. "Shouldn't you be there running it?"

"I find that I can leave The Institute from time to time without any serious problems." Xemnas smiled.

"Why are you here?"

"I am here to offer you a new life at The Institute."

"Me? Why?" Axel frowned.

"I have been watching you for the past few months and I believe you have the dominance worthy of a Breeder. I have already spoken to your master and he has agreed to release you to me."

----------------------------------------------------

Axel went with Xemnas and began a new life at The Institute as a Breeder at the age of fourteen. He was brought into The Institute by Xemnas himself and was forced to sit in a waiting room under the watchful eyes of several men in uniforms carrying guns. Finally, a plain-looking woman in a nurse's uniform came out and told him to come back. He silently obeyed after being jabbed with the butt of one of the guard's guns. The guards went with him. The nurse measured his height and took his eight. She also checked his blood pressure, temperature, and pulse, and forced him to change into a flimsy paper gown. Then, he was seen by the doctor, Dr. Vexen, who seemed rather sleazy in Axel's opinion. And he had seen many sleazy men in his short lifetime. He did a physical examination of Axel. Axel shuddered at the intimate touches.

"So you are not a virgin?" Dr. Vexen (or Dr. Sleaze-ball as Axel liked to think of him) questioned, withdrawing his fingers and pulling off his rubber gloves.

"No." Axel shook his head. "I'm not."

"I see. You know, it's normally not a policy for us to bring in boys who have already been…used, but the Director has informed me that he has made an exception in your case."

Axel shifted uncomfortably. A needle was forcibly jabbed into his forearm and some sort of a drug was injected into his system. He felt his body start going numb.

"What the fuck did you give me?" he snarled.

"It's a mild sedative to keep you quiet. It's for your own good so you don't hurt yourself," Dr. Vexen said.

The room started swimming in and out of view. The last thing Axel remembered was a nurse pressing a mask to his nose and mouth.

When he woke up, he was laying in a bunk bed that was certainly not his in a uniform that didn't belong to him. He was aware that he wasn't alone and carefully rolled out. He was right; there were a dozen boys with varying degrees of brown and blond hair or some other shade of light hair, making him feel even more awkward with his fiery red hair. All of the other Breeders stared curiously at him.

Axel hated The Institute from the moment he arrived there. He didn't belong there, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. It wasn't like he had any sort of life he could to back to. He swore that he would never let anyone get close to him ever again because he had been hurt so many times before. Not even when he was given a mate. He was determined to hate the boy who was causing him to stay at The Institute, a place he couldn't stand. At least that was what he told himself to justify his actions.

Axel shook his head to clear away the bad memories. He smiled as he looked won at Roxas, who was curled up against his chest. The boy looked so cute like that, so innocent. He had hated Roxas at the beginning, but it wasn't Roxas himself that he hated, it was the idea of Roxas being his mate that he once found revolting. Now he was overwhelmed with a feeling of protectiveness toward his mate. But, he decided, it wasn't a bad thing.

---------------------------------

Roxas gave a great big yawn and opened his eyes. He was sticky and slightly sore. Slowly, the pieces returned of what had gone on. He turned his head to the side and blinked. Axel lay stretched out beside him underneath a large red blanket, watching him. His started beating faster than normal and his stomach did a flip-flop.

"You…stayed," he breathed. Axel stared at him, confused. "This time, you didn't leave. You stayed behind until I woke up."

Axel smiled. "Of course."

He leaned down and kissed Roxas on the lips. They shared several long kisses.

"We…should go and get cleaned up," Roxas wheezed as the kisses started getting hotter.

"Yeah," Axel agreed.

He didn't move his position, however, and continued kissing Roxas. And Roxas responded eagerly to the kisses even though he knew what they had to do. Eventually, the two of them slowly got up and pulled their clothes back on. The two of them walked back to the dormitories hand in hand. They stopped outside the Bearers' dormitories for a moment. Axel gave Roxas one last searing kiss before he left. Roxas went into the dormitories, his face incredibly flushed. Axel walked back to the Breeders' dormitories. The Breeders were all there. Several of their heads snapped up when Axel entered. Obviously, Axel smelled of sex, sweat, and his mate.

"Holy fuck," Riku breathed as Axel moved to his bunk bed and started rifling through his trunk to find a clean set of clothes. "You stink."

"Yes, I know," Axel answered placidly, extracting a pair of pants and a pair of boxers from the bottom of his trunk.

Riku stared at him. "You're bleeding!"

Axel blinked. Riku pointed at Axel's shoulders. Axel felt as though for the first time that there was a slight wetness across his shoulders and back.

"Are those…" Riku breathed, his eyes widening in shock as he focused on the cuts. "Are those fingernail marks? Are those fingernail marks from Roxas? Little Roxas?"

Axel lowered his gaze, a blush crossing his face. "Yeah."

"Holy fuck." Riku shook his head. "You must have reamed him pretty hard for him to grab onto you like that."

Axel didn't say anything, his gaze firmly fixed on the ground.

"I'm going to take a shower," he mumbled after a while.

He moved toward the door.

"Hey wait!" Riku suddenly called. Axel stopped walking and turned around. "I'm coming too." Axel gave him a puzzled look. "Someone has to bandage those cuts so they don't get infected and you sure as hell can't do that yourself."

"Yes. You're right." Axel nodded.

Riku looked surprised that Axel was being so compliant; usually he gave everyone a hard time, especially him. Riku quickly shook the surprise off as Axel started walking to the bathrooms. He left the dormitories and approached the guards waiting outside.

"I uh…need a first aid kid," he said. "It's only a minor injury."

One of the guards nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

He walked away. He returned several minutes later carrying a small first aid kit with him.

"Will this work?" he asked.

"Yeah." Riku nodded. He took the first aid kit from the guard and started to walk away. Suddenly, he turned around. "Thanks."

"No problem," the guard responded.

Riku went into the bathroom. Unsurprisingly, the shower was still running. Riku set the first aid kit on the countertop between the sinks and waited. Axel soon emerged dressed only from the waist down, drying his long hair with a towel. Riku could see him wincing slightly with every move he made. Axel looked slightly surprised to see Riku standing there, not really believing that Riku would go through with what he had said, but silently turned around. Riku dabbed Axel's scratches with antiseptic. Axel hissed sorely and tightly clenched his teeth together. Riku patiently dabbed at the cuts until he was sure they were clean and bandaged the cuts. He cleaned up the supplies while Axel put his shirt on.

"Thanks," Axel muttered as they made their way to the door.

"Yeah," Riku responded gruffly.

--------------------------------

Zexion and Demyx were waiting for Roxas when he returned to the dormitories. They sat together on Zexion's bed in close proximity to each other, but not close enough that would attract any sort of attention from the others and make them suspicious.

"Well, I'm sure I don't need to ask about it," Zexion said with a smile, walking forward. "Your face tells me everything I need to know."

"Yeah." Demyx gave a wicked grin. "I'm assuming the sex was great, judging by your face. It's really red. Like an apple."

Roxas flushed even more. Zexion hit Demyx over the head and called him a pervert. Roxas silently went to his trunk and pulled out a fresh set of clothes. He made the familiar trek to the showers. He tensed as the hot spray hit his body. He ran his fingers through his long locks and a blush spread across his face as he recalled the sex with Axel.

When he was sufficiently clean, he switched the shower off and toweled himself dry. He dressed in a clean uniform and pressed his hand to his flat abdomen. If only…if only he was carrying a child. It would be wonderful. Roxas smiled to himself and removed his hand. He gathered his dirty clothes and went back to the dormitories. One day, perhaps he and Axel could have a family, far away from The Institute.

If only.

To be continued…

Notes: I'm sorry it took me a while to get this chapter up. It wasn't the sex scene between Roxas and Axel that gave me problems, interestingly enough, it was the scene where Axel flashes back to his past. Even now, I'm not completely satisfied with it, but I can go back later and revise it. Ah well. This chapter was originally going to be a lot longer but I decided to cut it off here. The scene in question has been pushed back to the next chapter, but that's okay.


	17. Chapter 17

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this. I do, however claim the unrecognizable characters as my own and they are not to be touched without my permission.

_Bryan gave a quiet sigh as our lips touched. He gently wrapped his arms around me and brought our bodies extremely close. I had never been this close to anyone before in my life. I stared up into Bryan's frosted eyes and knew that he was the only one I would ever want, despite anything my fathers said._

_"Jay? Is there something wrong?" Bryan asked me._

_"No, there's nothing wrong," I answered. I buried my face deep within his chest, taking in his earthy, masculine scent. "I…love you. That's all."_

_Bryan pulled me closer for another kiss._

------------------------------

Chapter 17

The day of Zexion's due date came, but he did not go into labor. Roxas and Demyx both knew that it was because the doctor was off by a month, but they kept this little fact to themselves. Both of them played the parts of the worried friends and they played them well. Everyone was on pins and needles the entire day, but Zexion felt completely healthy. The next day was tense as well, but Zexion remained healthy and did not go into labor. On the morning of the thirteenth day, Zexion was admitted into the Medical Facility, accompanied by Roxas and Demyx.

The nurse in charge checked his blood pressure, temperature, and pulse, and got him changed into a white gown.

"The doctor will be in shortly," she said, closing the door after her.

Zexion exhaled softly. Demyx took his hand and gently squeezed it.

"It'll be all right," Roxas said soothingly.

"They're gonna find out." Zexion shook his head.

"Shh." Demyx's tone was severe. He looked around the room. "We don't know who may be listening. I don't know how thick the walls are. They could hear us outside."

Zexion nodded and fell silent. Half an hour later, Dr. Vexen entered, looking urgent.

"Zexion, what's going on?" he asked.

"It's been thirteen days since my due date has gone by and I'm not anywhere near going into labor."

"I see. That is something to worry about. Well, let's have a look and see if we can find anything wrong with you." Dr. Vexen pulled on a pair of rubber gloves.

Suddenly, the door burst open and an angry-looking Xemnas strode in.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"O…oh. X…Xemnas," Dr. Vexen stammered. "I…I was about to have a look at Zexion."

"What is wrong?" Xemnas repeated sternly.

"Zexion is almost two weeks past his due date."

"Why?"

"I…I don't know sir!"

"Well, hadn't you better find out?"

"Y...yes sir. I…I was about to do that."

Roxas and Demyx had never seen Dr. Vexen so flustered before. Nor had they ever seen Xemnas so angry. He looked like he was about to start breathing fire as he stood in the corner watching Dr. Vexen do an ultrasound. Xemnas turned to them.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked.

"We came with Zexion," Demyx answered hotly.

"You can wait in the waiting room," Xemnas said.

"We are not going anywhere." Demyx's voice was firm.

"You don't have the right to decide," Xemnas snarled.

Demyx scowled deeply. "And you do?"

"Don't you dare question me!" Xemnas shouted. "I am the director of the Institute!"

"That doesn't mean you have the right to play god!" Demyx shouted back. "Why do you get to decide what's right for us? Why can't Zexion decide for himself?"

"Get out!" Xemnas roared. "Get out now!"

"Or what?" Demyx challenged, standing his ground. "What are you gonna do to me?"

"You dare talk back to me?!" Xemnas yelled, his face turning brick red.

"I don't give a fuck what you think," Demyx said severely.

"Don't make me call the guards," Xemnas warned.

"Please don't fight," Zexion whimpered, tears in his eyes. "And please don't kick Roxas and Demyx out. I know it's not up to me, but I really want them to stay. I don't want to be alone."

Xemnas sighed softly. "Very well, I will not make them leave. But I expect them to remain quiet and out of the way." He turned to Roxas and Demyx. "Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Roxas answered respectfully.

Demyx scowled but said, "I understand sir."

Xemnas turned to Dr. Vexen. "Proceed please."

"Yes sir." Dr. Vexen looked startled.

He quickly regained his composure and went back to what he was doing. He started the ultrasound. The next several minutes were tense.

"The baby is all right," Dr. Vexen finally announced. "His heartbeat is normal and there doesn't seem to be any sort of problem."

"So why hasn't he gone into labor yet?" Xemnas asked icily.

"I…I don't know!" Dr. Vexen answered uncertainly. He was silent for a few moments. "I…I don't believe it!"

"What's wrong?" Xemnas asked.

"It appears…I was wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

"I don't know how this happened, but I was off a month on Zexion's due date."

"How can this be?" Xemnas asked.

"I…I don't know, sir!" Dr. Vexen said nervously. "I…I thought when he came in that he was two months pregnant. I…I just assumed because of the timing that he was two months along."

"Zexion?" Xemnas turned to the blond-haired boy.

"I didn't know," Zexion lied. "I swear. I was just happy that I finally got pregnant."

"I see." Xemnas glared at Dr. Vexen.

"I'm…I'm sorry sir!" Dr. Vexen cried.

"You had better not let that happen again," Xemnas said severely.

He stormed out of the examination room.

Dr. Vexen let out a shaky breath and regained his composure. "I'm terribly sorry, Zexion. I don't know how I managed to screw up your due date. Let's see here…" Dr. Vexen was silent for a few moments, calculating. "Let's see…you have less than a month left so that puts you at…October 25. All right?"

"Yeah." Zexion nodded.

"You're free to go," Dr. Vexen told him.

"Thank you," Zexion said as Dr. Vexen turned off the ultrasound machine.

Dr. Vexen merely grunted. He left. Zexion got up and grabbed his clothes.

"Thank god they didn't find out," Demyx muttered, turning around so Zexion could dress privately.

"You should have held your tongue," Zexion said severely, pulling his shirt over his round belly."

"I'm sorry. I lost my temper."

"I'm not surprised," Zexion muttered.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Roxas said before Demyx could respond.

The three friends left the Medical Facility and headed for lunch.

Suddenly, Roxas felt a large hand cover his mouth. Someone grabbed him from behind and dragged him away from Zexion and Demyx. His friends never noticed that he was gone.

Roxas was dragged into a deserted hallway and thrown against one of the walls. While he was stunned, he was pinned against the wall. Roxas got a glimpse of his captor, a Breeder he knew from a distance.

He gave a harsh gasp as he felt the Breeder's body press against his and slammed into the Breeder with his shoulder. It was like running into a thick concrete wall.

"Let me go!" Roxas yelled.

The Breeder ignored him and clamped his mouth over Roxas's. He licked and nipped at Roxas's lips, trying to gain entry. Roxas firmly kept his lips together.

"Open your mouth," the Breeder commanded, pulling away.

"No." Roxas shook his head.

"I said open your mouth!"

"Go to hell!"

The Breeder growled softly and seized Roxas by the hair and roughly slammed his head against the wall. A soft gasp left Roxas's lips. The Breeder took advantage of this and slipped his tongue into Roxas's mouth. Roxas nearly choked. He tried to push the Breeder away, but it was futile. The Breeder was at least twice his size and three times as strong. Still he struggled, pleading and crying to be let go. The Breeder just ignored him.

He slammed his hips to Roxas's, grinding them together. Roxas grimaced at the contact. One of the Breeder's hands slid up his shirt, taking in the soft skin. Roxas's breath caught in his throat when the Breeder's hands ran over his nipples.

"You are as beautiful as your outward appearance suggests," the Breeder whispered huskily, nibbling on his earlobe.

Roxas could barely suppress a groan. "S…stop."

"Now why would I stop?" the Breeder asked.

"I'm…I'm not your mate," Roxas stammered.

"Does you think I look like I give a fuck?"

The Breeder placed more hot kisses on Roxas's neck. His hands slid down to Roxas's waist, cupping his crotch with one of his hands. Roxas gave a harsh gasp. The Breeder slid Roxas's pants down to his knees.

"No, please!" Roxas breathed.

The Breeder ignored him. He slid Roxas's boxers down.

"Please no!" Roxas tried again.

"Silence!" the Breeder snapped.

"Help me! Someone please help me!" Roxas screamed.

"I said silence!" the Breeder slapped Roxas across the face.

Roxas cried out and his face twisted around.

"There, that's better," the Breeder said.

He lifted Roxas's legs up, freed them from the tangled mess of his pants and boxers, slid his own clothes down, and wrapped Roxas's legs around his waist.

"No! Let me go! Someone please help me! Anyone!" Roxas screamed.

The Breeder slammed into him hard and without any sort of hesitation. Roxas screamed as he was penetrated by one who was not his mate. The Breeder slammed again harder. Roxas dug his fingernails into the Breeder's shoulders, trying to force him to let go. The Breeder's face twisted unpleasantly.

"Axel please help me! Please" Roxas cried, tears streaming down his face.

"AXEL!!"

The tray Axel was holding slipped out of his hands and clattered to the floor. The entire cafeteria fell silent as the dishes on Axel's tray shattered. It was so unlike him to drop anything.

"Axel?" Riku asked, turning around.

Axel was completely frozen, his hands dropped by his sides.

"Roxas," he whispered in horror.

Without saying anything more, he turned and walked away, the broken dishes crunching loudly under his boots. Riku put his tray down and left the lunch line. He didn't say anything as he caught up to Axel; he just obediently followed his friend.

Outside the cafeteria, Axel quickened his pace. Riku had to practically sprint in order to keep up with him. He had no idea where they were going, but Axel seemed to know. He ran faster and faster, his breath coming in quick gasps.

Then, Riku heard it. Screams. Terrified shrieks. It made his heart beat faster. They rounded a corner and stopped.

Riku heard a low hiss escape past Axel's lips. He wondered what would cause his friend to react in such a way until he saw for himself. His eyes widened and he sucked in his breath.

Roxas was pinned against a wall, his legs wrapped around a Breeder's waist. His face was streaked with tears and his nails dug into the Breeder's back. His eyes were squeezed shut. The Breeder was thrusting into Roxas hard, causing the boy to cry out each time. The stunned silence was broken when Axel stepped forward.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Axel shouted. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY MATE?!"

Roxas opened his eyes at last. He had a terrified expression on his face when he saw Axel there. Axel stepped forward and grabbed the Breeder by the shoulder. He forcefully pulled him out of Roxas. Roxas gave an agonized shriek and collapsed, his breathing ragged. He wrapped his arms round himself and gave a quiet whimper. Riku glanced over at Axel. He held the Breeder by the front of his shirt. His expression was severe as he glared at Riku.

"Get him out of here!" he hissed, pointing to Roxas.

Riku nodded silently. He turned to Roxas, who was crying and whimpering on the floor. He crouched down and gently put a hand on Roxas's shoulder. Roxas gave a strangled cry and his head shot up. He looked around wildly.

"Shh Roxas." Riku withdrew his hand. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. We've gotta get out of here, okay?"

Roxas seemed to get control of his emotions and nodded, wiping his eyes with his arm. He exhaled shakily and got up. He found his discarded pants and boxers and pulled them back on. Riku got up and waited for him to get dressed, politely turning his head away.

When Roxas had finished, the two of them silently walked down the hallway. As they passed Axel, who was just standing there holding onto the Breeder, Riku gave him a puzzled look. He didn't understand why Axel was just standing there. The redhead was known for his temper and he should have been beating this Breeder to a pulp, only he wasn't. But then Riku saw Axel's face and he understood. What the Breeder had done was unforgivable and Axel wanted to beat him to a pulp, but no matter how angry he was, he would not take it out on the Breeder while Roxas was present and stress the blond even more. Axel's usually unreadable face was filled with anger and also fear.

Riku and Roxas walked off, Roxas trembling badly. When they were almost to the dormitories, thye could hear enraged roars all the way down the hallway. Roxas gave a shudder and squeezed his eyes shut. Riku gently touched him on the shoulder.

"You're almost there. Just a little farther," he whispered.

Roxas nodded and forced himself t start walking again. He swayed unsteadily. Riku followed behind, keeping his eye on Roxas. When Roxas looked like he was going to fall over, Riku was there to make sure he stayed upright.

They reached the Bearers' dormitory and Roxas went in. Riku hesitated at the door; he wasn't allowed in the Bearers' dormitory—no Breeders were. However, he needed to talk to Roxas's friends. The guards blocked his path.

"Let me go," he said. "I need to talk to two of the Bearers. It's really important."

"You're not allowed in the dormitory," one of the guards said firmly.

"But I need to talk to them!" Riku hissed. "Please! At least let me talk to them. I don't care if you don't let me anywhere near them. I just need to talk to them!"

"I will see if the Bearers will come out to you," one of the guards said. "What are their names?"

"They're Halen and Ian's mates, Zexion and Demyx," Riku responded.

The guard went into the dormitory.

Zexion gave a soft cry when Roxas entered the dormitory. The blond looked terrible. Absolutely terrible. Zexion heaved himself off his bed and rushed forward. Demyx, who had heard Zexion's cry, and looked up, saw Roxas and rushed forward, giving a cry of his own.

"Roxas? What's wrong? What happened?" Demyx asked urgently.

Roxas simply looked at him, his face streaked with tears, and filled with confusion and pain.

"What happened?" Zexion asked. Roxas still didn't answer. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Zexion and Demyx?" a guard asked, suddenly sticking his head in the dormitory. "There's a Breeder who wants to talk to you. He says it's urgent."

Zexion and Demyx looked at each other in confusion. Wordlessly, they left the dormitory. The Breeder waiting for them in the hallway was Riku.

"Riku?" Zexion asked, stepping forward.

Riku looked up, his pale blue eyes troubled. "Zexion." He glanced over Zexion's shoulder. "And Demyx. Good."

"What the hell is going on?" Demyx demanded. "What the hell happened to Roxas?! Do you know?"

"Yes." Riku exhaled softly, running his fingers through his hair, trying to find the right words to say.

"Tell us," Zexion said softly. "Please."

"You're not going to like it."

"Tell us!" Demyx demanded.

Zexion glared at him.

Riku exhaled softly. "Roxas was raped."

Zexion and Demyx gasped. Demyx gave a loud growl and laughed himself forward at Riku.

"Bastard!" he yelled.

"Demyx, control yourself!" Zexion cried.

He threw his arms around Demyx's waist and despite the fact that he was nearly nine months pregnant, he was able to keep Demyx restrained, though the brown-haired boy struggled to get free. The guards stepped forward to mediate.

"Do you think," Riku hissed at Demyx, "that I would be standing here if I had raped him? Axel would kick my ass, kill me, cut me to pieces, and burn the pieces if I had."

"Do you know who raped Roxas?" Zexion asked.

"I…didn't see his face," Riku answered evasively.

Zexion exhaled softly. Demyx stopped struggling in his arms.

"I…can't believe it," he said faintly. "Who the hell would do something like this?"

"I don't know," Zexion answered, shaking his head.

"When I find who did this, I'm gonna kill them," Demyx muttered.

"Axel may beat you to that." Riku gave a hollow laugh.

"He knows?" Zexion breathed.

"He saw," Riku answered grimly.

"God!" Zexion's eyes widened.

"Take care of him, okay?" Riku asked softly.

"Of course," Zexion answered. "Roxas's our little brother."

"I've gotta go find Axel." Riku turned away.

"Riku wait!" Zexion called. Riku turned around. "Thank you."

Riku nodded silently and then walked away.

Zexion let go of Demyx. "Let's go!"

He and Demyx hurried back into the dormitory. Roxas was sitting on his bed, just sitting there. He looked like he had no idea what he was supposed to do.

"Roxas?" Zexion asked, stepping forward. Roxas looked up, a lost expression on his face. "Oh Roxas!"

Zexion rushed forward. He put his arms around Roxas and pulled him into a hug. Roxas leaned into Zexion and closed his eyes. Zexion could feel him trembling. A quiet whimper left Roxas's lips, followed by a low choking moan. Finally, he opened up and started sobbing quietly into Zexion's shoulder. Zexion shed a few tears of his own as he quietly held his sobbing friend in his arms. Demyx stood in the background, feeling utterly helpless.

Suddenly, a guard burst into the room.

"Roxas?" he asked brusquely. "You need to come with me. The Director wants to see you." He looked at Zexion and Demyx. "You too."

"Right now?" Demyx asked.

"Yes," the guard simply answered.

"Can't you see he's upset?" Demyx pointed to Roxas. "Why can't you leave him alone for a bit and let him deal with this?"

"I'm only following orders," the guard said hotly. "It's not up to me."

"That doesn't matter!"

"Demyx," Roxas said quietly. Demyx looked over at him. "It's all right. It's important that Xemnas understands what's going on."

Zexion moved away so Roxas could get up. He moved slowly and suddenly looked years older. It broke Zexion's heart to see him like this.

They had no idea who had done this terrible thing to Roxas. It could be anyone.

Zexion's breath left him as he entered Xemnas's office. He felt faint and had to lean against the wall for support.

"Oh Saix," he breathed. "What have you done?"

To be continued.

Note: Oh hell. What have I done? I just made things about a hundred times more complicated. Actually, Riku wasn't supposed to show up in this chapter at all. Originally, Zexion and Demyx were there with Axel and they were the ones who were supposed to see Roxas raped (along with Axel, of course). But I rewrote the scene later because I didn't like the way it turned out and then Riku ended up in the scene instead of Zexion and Demyx, and I realized it worked well. I was originally going to have the chapter be much longer, but I decided that this was a very good place to stop. God, I'm horrible, huh? XD

Oh yes, I almost forgot. I created a poll in my profile to see which fanfiction of mine is the most popular. So go and vote because I'll be updating the most popular one after Identity has been finished.


	18. Chapter 18

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this. I do, however, claim the unrecognizable characters as my own that I've made up for the purpose of this story. Please do not take them without my permission.

----------------------

_Bryan gently ran his fingers through my hair and after he pulled away from me again, he traced his fingers down the side of my face, gently stroked my cheek, and traced his fingers across my lips._

_"Are you okay with this?" he asked, his fingers running down my arm._

_"Yes," I whispered. "I want you to. I love you Bryan."_

_"I love you too Jay." Bryan leaned in and gently kissed me on the lips again._

--------------------------

Chapter 18

Axel stood on one side in front of Xemnas's desk, restrained, and surrounded by several guards. His back was turned toward them so they could not see his face. On the other side was Saix, also restrained, and surrounded by guards. He looked like he had gotten into a fight with a grizzly bear and lost. His injuries had been hastily tended to, quickly bandaged. He had a black eye and a torn lip. His clothes were ripped in several places and his entire body was heavily bruised. Despite his external injuries, Saix's face remained neutral.

"Fuck," Demyx whispered, seeing Saix. "Fuck."

He looked over at Zexion, who looked like he was going to pass out. The Bearers stood a little ways back, surrounded by even more guards, but still in sight of Xemnas. The door opened again and Riku came in. Xemnas didn't even look up from writing something at his desk. The air was tense.

Xemnas looked up from his writing at last. "I have heard what has happened from both Axel and Saix. Now, I want your side of the story, Roxas."

Roxas cleared his throat. "I was…grabbed from behind while I was going to lunch with Zexion and Demyx. A hand was put over my mouth so I couldn't scream. I didn't see who it was until we got into the hallway and Saix pinned me against the wall." Roxas swallowed hard. "I tried screaming several times, but Saix stopped me. I tried to fight him, but he was too strong." Several stray tears fell down his face and he could not continue.

"Did Saix undress you?" Xemnas asked. Roxas nodded. "Did he…touch you and kiss you?" Roxas nodded again. Xemnas sighed softly. "Did he penetrate you?" Roxas made a choking sound that almost sounded like a sob. "Roxas? Can you answer the question for me?"

"Yes!" Roxas choked out. "He did!"

He gave a low sob. He could not hold back his tears any longer and started weeping softly.

"Roxas, please control yourself," Xemnas said.

"Leave him the fuck alone, would you?" Demyx burst out before Axel could. The redhead gave him a startled look, but appeared to want to hear what he said. "He's just been raped by someone who's not his mate! Let him have some time to deal with this! Can't you see he's torn up about this? He has every right to cry right now."

"Demyx please," Zexion murmured.

"This is very interesting, Demyx. I have never seen you act so aggressive before." Xemnas folded his hands and rested his chin on them.

"So what?" Demyx spat. "I have a good reason to be upset. Roxas was fucking raped. He's like my little brother!"

"Indeed." Xemnas cleared his throat. "Riku, can you please tell me what you saw?"

"Yes sir." Riku nodded. "I was…in line in front of Axel at lunch. Suddenly, he dropped his tray and whispered his mate's name. He looked…horrified. Somehow, I knew that something had happened to Roxas so when Axel ran off, I followed."

"All right…" Xemnas nodded, indicating that he should continue.

"After a while, I heard terrified shrieks. When we got around the next corner, we stopped. We saw…" Riku swallowed hard.

"Yes?" Xemnas asked.

"Roxas was pinned up against the wall. By him." Riku pointed at Saix.

"Riku, do you think Roxas was a willing participant in this?"

"No." Riku shook his head.

"Why not?" Xemnas asked.

"He was screaming."

"Not in pleasure?"

"No." Riku shook his head again. "It sounded like Roxas was in agony and terrified."

"I see."

"And…" Riku cleared his throat. "There were tears on his face. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was digging his nails into Saix's back."

"Are you sure it wasn't an act of passion?"

"I…" Riku hesitated.

"It wasn't," Axel suddenly interrupted. "He's done that before with me, but it wasn't the same. He definitely was trying to get away in this situation."

Riku flashed Axel a grateful look.

"What happened next?" Xemnas asked.

"Axel finally intervened and pulled Saix off."

"Why?" Xemnas interrupted.

"What sir?" Riku asked.

"Why now? Why not earlier?"

"I…don't know sir," Riku said uncomfortably.

"Why do you think? Axel, don't answer. Let Riku speak."

Axel held his tongue.

"I think…" Riku hesitated.

"Yes?" Xemnas asked.

"I think it was shock that kept Axel from intervening sooner."

"I see. So what happened after Axel intervened?"

"Roxas screamed and collapsed. He curled up into a ball. I looked at Axel and he hissed at me to get Roxas out of there, so I did. I brought him back to the dormitories and talked to Zexion and Demyx. I told them what had happened. I left Roxas in their care. Then I went to find Axel and waited with him until the guards arrived. They didn't know that I was involved and sent me away. I waited alone in the dormitory until I was sent for."

"All right. Thank you Riku," Xemnas said. "You may leave."

"Yes sir." Riku nodded.

He threw a glance at the three Bearers in the corner and then was gone.

"Demyx, I would like you and Zexion to leave," Xemnas said. Demyx looked like he was going to protest, but Zexion grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out. "I have summoned the Council and they are conferring on the matter. They are going to come to a decision about Saix's punishment." Xemnas gave Saix a hard look. "Until then, there are many things to do. There's a lot we need to discuss. Saix, you are dismissed." Xemnas turned to the guards. "Take him to confinement. He is to remain there until I call for him."

"Yes sir." One of the guards nodded.

Saix was led out.

"He no longer needs those," Xemnas said, motioning to Axel's handcuffs.

One of the remaining guards stepped forward, produced a key, and unlocked the handcuffs. He stepped away as Axel rubbed his wrists to restore circulation to them.

"Roxas, I…I feel like I must apologize." Xemnas sighed softly. "This should not have happened. It's a disgrace, going against everything we stand for at The Institute. I'm sure the Council will not look lightly on this incident. And Axel, I must apologize to you as well. I know you are upset with what Saix did to your mate and you have every right to be angry. That being said, I think you overstepped your boundaries by attacking him like you did. However, I am not going to punish you this time. I will not be so lenient next time. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," Axel answered.

"Good. Now Roxas, I'm fairly certain that you were not in heat when Saix raped you and he did not get to finish what he intended." He gave Axel a look. "However, I am arranging for you to see Dr. White soon just to be sure that a child has not been conceived."

"And if he is pregnant?" Axel asked in a hard voice.

"There's nothing we can do," Xemnas answered sadly. "I pray this does not occur, for both your sakes." Xemnas shuffled the pieces of paper on his desk. "I am arranging for you and Roxas to be moved into a private apartment. You will still take your meals with everyone else and you will attend classes too. Those things will not change. What will change is where you'll be sleeping and spending your free time. The two of you need to rebuild the trust between you. It will take some time, but you need to get to the point where you can…ah…reproduce again."

"What about Zexion and Demyx?" Roxas asked. "Will I only be allowed to see them at meals and during class?"

"I am sure there will be no problem with them visiting you." Xemnas smiled.

"When will we be moving? Sir?" Axel asked.

"As soon possible," Xemnas answered. "This afternoon, perhaps. Both of you are exempt from your afternoon classes. The Breeders and Bearers will be informed of what has happened during their afternoon class." Axel and Roxas both nodded. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to have a quick word with Zexion."

Roxas and Axel were escorted out of Xemnas's office. Zexion and Demyx were waiting for them.

"The Director wishes to speak to you," one of the guards told Zexion.

Zexion followed him back into the office. The guard closed the door.

"Ah, Zexion," Xemnas said.

"Director I…" Zexion sighed softly.

"Zexion, I want you to know that it's very likely that Saix will be executed," Xemnas interrupted.

"Oh god," Zexion whispered.

"The Council will not tolerate his actions. I am quite certain he will not be allowed to live, however in the event that he is allowed to live…"

"He will never touch me again," Zexion said coldly. "I will never allow him near my body again."

"This is not your decision to make."

"I don't care!" Zexion shouted. "I don't give a fuck if you agree with me or not, but I will never let him near me again. I will never forgive him for what he did to Roxas!" His throat constricted and he choked back a sob. "I don't care if you punish me or…or throw me out of The Institute. I don't care that he's my mate. He's a cold, heartless pig and I will never forgive him for what he's done. He will never touch me again."

Xemnas rose and Zexion thought he would strike him, but he stood his ground.

"I will make myself very clear," Xemnas said in a hard voice. "You do not have a choice in the matter. Saix remains and will always remain your mate unless he's executed. You're dismissed."

"Yes sir." Zexion's tone was unusually cold.

He turned and silently walked out of the room without a second glance behind him.

To be continued…

Notes: I'm sorry the chapter is woefully short. I had to cut it off there because it was the best place to do so. The next chapter is probably going to be a lot longer. I may end up splitting up that chapter as well. We'll see what happens.


	19. Chapter 19

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this.

_Bryan's fingers wandered down to my hip and then slid up the front of my shirt. I pulled my shirt off so his hands could wander freely. He traced the contours of my neck and across my collarbone. I watched him intently as his hands wandered lower. He was extremely gentle as he touched me, gently running his hand across my skin. I sucked in my breath when he touched my nipples._

_"Are you okay?" Bryan asked, pulling away._

_"Yes," he breathed. "It feels good. Please, don't stop!"_

_Bryan nodded and put his hand back on my chest. He ran my hands across my nipples again and I hissed softly. His hands made circles on my belly. He dipped underneath my pants. I couldn't suppress a groan._

_"You like that?"Bryan asked._

_"Yes!" I gasped._

_Bryan grinned and slid his hand farther down my pants. I moaned softly. I couldn't help it. It felt so damn good. He took his hand out and slid my pants down. I willingly stepped out of them. I stood before him, dressed only in my boxers._

_"So beautiful," Bryan murmured, gently tracing my jaw line. I blushed. "You're cute when you're blushing." This made me blush even more._

_He pressed our lips together again. His hands slipped down to my private area and he started stroking me. I felt myself growing warm. My father Harou had already talked to me about sex and stuff so I understood what was happening. I was becoming aroused. Bryan knew. I could see that it pleased him._

Chapter 19

Zexion arrived late for his afternoon class. Mr. Lexaeus stood at the front of the class, looking extremely serious. He had not started speaking yet and just stood there. All eyes turned to Zexion as he entered. He took his regular seat next to Demyx and tried to ignore all the stares. He quickly glanced around the room. Roxas was not present.

Mr. Lexaeus cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I have a grim announcement to make. One of The Institute's most sacred rules has been broken. Axel's mate Roxas has been taken by another mate's without permission. It's also seen as rape. Basically, it's the worst thing a Breeder can do. Nothing like this has ever happened before at The Institute."

There was the sound of hushed murmurings across the room.

"Who's mate was it?" a Bearer named Damien asked.

"I will not say." Mr. Lexaeus shook his head.

"It was my mate," Zexion said. The other Bearers stared at him. "Saix was the one who raped Roxas. I had nothing to do with it, but I wish it never happened." Several stray tears dropped into his lap.

"What's going to happen now?" a Bearer named Luxord asked curiously.

"I'm not really sure," Mr. Lexaeus answered truthfully. "Something like this has never happened before. The case will definitely go to the Council and they'll make a decision. At the very least, Saix will be kept in confinement for the rest of his life and possibly won't be able to ever mate with Zexion again."

"That's pretty harsh," Luxord muttered.

"He deserves it," Zexion said. "What Saix did to Roxas was unforgivable."

"What's the worst that could happen to Saix?" Luxord asked.

"He will be executed," Mr. Lexaeus answered grimly. There was a sharp intake of breath from the other Bearers. Zexion looked down at his hands and refused to meet the others' eyes. "It's time to start today's lesson…"

Zexion's thoughts drifted away from Mr. Lexaeus's lesson. It was a lot for him to take in so soon. He was torn about his feelings. True, he hated Saix for what he had done, and he was never going to forgive the bastard for causing Roxas so much pain, but there was a small part of him (a very small part) that felt sorry for Saix. Despite everything Saix had done, Zexion felt a small amount of compassion for him. He was Zexion's mate, after all. Zexion had to show at least a little compassion. It was his duty.

Zexion was spaced out for the entire lesson. At the break, Mr. Lexaeus talked to Zexion one on one, as had become his habit.

"How is Roxas doing Zexion?" Mr. Lexaeus asked, his face etched with worry. "Is he all right?"

"I'm not sure," Zexion answered. "I haven't seen Roxas since the incident."

"He has been given the afternoon off from lessons. He and Axel are going to be moved into a private apartment. They're still going to eat their meals with the group and they'll still have lessons like normal."

"Is that safe, sir?" Zexion asked.

"Oh yes, it's quite safe," Mr. Lexaeus assured him. "Axel has a lot of self-control. They'll be fine." Mr. Lexaeus could not suppress a smile. "Beside, I've heard that you and Demyx are allowed to visit him anytime you want."

"Oh. Well that's good to know," Zexion muttered. He looked up at Mr. Lexaeus. "Do you know when they're going to move him to the apartment?"

"This afternoon I believe."

"O…oh. So soon," Zexion murmured.

"It's for the best," Mr. Lexaeus said softly.

"Yes, I know." Zexion sighed.

"So…" Mr. Lexaeus stated after a few moments of silence. "I heard there was a bit of excitement when you sent to see Dr. White."

"Yes." Zexion nodded, resting his hand on his rounded belly. "It appears Dr. White was wrong about my due date. Somehow, he was off by a month. I'm not due until October 25th, according to him."

"Wow. That's interesting." Mr. Lexaeus looked surprised. "Have you decided on a name for your son yet?"

"Yes." Zexion smiled, his hand still resting on his belly. "But I'm not telling anyone what his name is until he's born."

"That's good thing to do." Mr. Lexaeus smiled as well.

Zexion returned to his eat as the other Bearers filed back into the room and resumed their seats. Mr. Lexaeus began the second lesson.

"Today, I am going to be talking about labor and birth," Mr. Lexaeus began. Zexion straightened up and tried to pay attention. He knew that Mr. Lexaeus was doing this for his benefit, even though he had already had a taste of that with Roxas. "When the time comes, your body will naturally produce a hormone called oxytocin to stimulate labor. You'll experience cramps and mild shooting pain in your back…"

Zexion felt himself drifting off again. No matter how hard he tried, he could not keep his mind in the present. At long last, the lesson ended and the Bearers returned to their dormitory for a quick break before dinner.

Roxas was already in the dormitory, packing his things. He silently moved around, carefully folding his clothes, and putting them neatly in his trunk. His eyes were red and puffy and it was clear that he was crying. Zexion and Demyx stepped forward, but kept their distance, knowing that Roxas didn't want to be touched at the moment.

Roxas looked up when he heard their footsteps. "Hi."

"Hi Roxas honey," Zexion said softly.

"You uh…packing?" Demyx asked.

"Yes." Roxas nodded. "I'm being moved into a private apartment with Axel.

"We heard," Zexion whispered.

Roxas finished folding his clothes and put the lid of his trunk down. He snapped the locks closed and straightened up.

"Roxas, will you…will you come to dinner?" Zexion asked. "Please honey?"

"I suppose I should," Roxas said reluctantly.

He joined them in the cafeteria for dinner. They got their food and sat at their usual table in silence. Roxas only picked at his food. Zexion wanted to say something to him, encourage him to eat, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He ate his own food without much enthusiasm.

After dinner, they went back to the dormitory. The guards had come during dinner and brought his trunk to his new quarters. It was time for Roxas to move. Zexion and Demyx watched him sadly as he smoothed down the covers of his bed to make sure it was neat.

"I'll miss you two," Roxas suddenly said, his back turned to them. "You're both welcome to visit us anytime, all right?"

"All right Roxas," Zexion said softly.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then." Roxas choked on the words.

"Yes, but we'll still see each other," Demyx said.

"It won't be the same." Roxas shook his head.

"There's nothing that can be done about that," Zexion said softly.

Roxas gave a low, choking sob and quickly turned around. There were tears streaming down his face. He stepped forward and in a surprising move, embraced Demyx first and then Zexion.

"I love you guys," Roxas whispered.

"We do too." Zexion gently rubbed Roxas's back.

They finally broke apart.

"Take care of yourself, all right?" Demyx asked, embracing him again.

"You too." Roxas rested his head on Demyx's shoulder for a moment.

He pulled away and hugged Zexion again. The hug was slightly awkward because of Zexion's belly.

"You'll always be our little brother." Zexion pressed his lips to Roxas's forehead.

"You'll always be my big brother." Roxas sniffed softly.

They pulled apart as a guard entered the room.

"Roxas, it's time to go," he said.

Roxas nodded. "All right. I'm coming."

He gave a soft sigh and followed the guard out of the dormitory. Axel was waiting for him. He watched Roxas come out, but made no movement to try and get closer to him. He respected Roxas's space as the guards showed them to their new apartment. It was not quite an apartment, but it was a step above the dormitories. Axel went exploring.

There was a small sitting room in the front with a couch and several comfortable-looking armchairs. All the furniture matched, which irritated Axel for some reason. It was too perfect. There was a small bathroom and a closet to the right. Axel opened the closet door. It was already stocked with linens, towels, washcloths, and whatever else one would need. Axel shut the door. The small bedroom was sparsely furnished with only one bed with navy blue covers and both their trunks with their things. The bed was a problem. It was meant for them to share, but after what happened, Axel was fairly certain that Roxas didn't want to share a bed with anyone.

"There's only one bed," Roxas stated softly from behind.

Axel turned. He hadn't heart his mate approach him.

"Yes," he said. "Which could potentially be problematic." He thought for a few moments. "I'll sleep out on the couch in the sitting room, if you wish."

"No." Roxas shook his head. Axel stared at him, not expecting such an answer. Roxas trembled slightly. "I…I don't want to be alone." He stared up at Axel, his eyes brimming with tears. "Please stay with me?"

"Of course," Axel said. He stepped closer to Roxas. "I'm not going anywhere." He gently wrapped his arms around his mate. Roxas stiffened slightly, but managed to relax himself. "I love you."

Roxas smiled through his tears. "Me too."

Axel tenderly kissed him on the lips. Roxas gave a quiet sigh and lifted his head to give Axel better access.

"Roxas…are you sure…?" Axel asked, pulling away.

"I just want to kiss you," Roxas answered.

"That's fine." Axel pressed his lips against Roxas's once again.

To be continued…

Notes: Well that chapter just ended unexpectedly. What I mean is that I wasn't expecting the chapter to wrap up so quickly. I thought I was going to be able to squeeze some more stuff into the chapter, but I guess not. I don't want to force anything in. The next chapter will definitely be epic. I don't think I'll be able to chop it in half without it being messy. XD If that's the case, it'll take me a while to get the chapter finished even if I do write during my Mythology class. So please be patient with me.

Oh yeah, I got a flame. Makes me sad. It was completely stupid too. The reader accused me of adding in Roxas's rape scene because I had no idea of how else to pep up my story. I won't waste your time by bitching about it, but I will say this: Roxas's rape is there for a reason. It's not just there because I wanted to pep up my story. If you want to read the flame, it's still in the reviews. I didn't remove it. Don't know why. But…yeah. It doesn't bother me too much. It makes me a bit sad but I've accepted the fact that this story won't be accepted by every person out there. Actually, I wasn't expecting this story to receive such a good reception in the first place. I thought it was going to be too unorthodox, but I'm glad it's so popular. :D

Agh I'm so sorry. Somehow, the original version of this got uploaded instead of the fanfiction version. -hits self in head-


	20. Chapter 20

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this. I do own the original characters though.

_Bryan slipped his tongue into the gap between my lips and explored my mouth. I opened my mouth wider and met his tongue with mine. I was becoming bolder now. I had allowed his fingers to explore my body and now I wanted to do the same to him. Would he allow it? I moved hesitatingly at first, running my fingers through his silky hair. He looked at me, slightly surprised, and pulled away._

_"What are you…?" he asked._

_"I want to explore your body like you did mine." I stared into his eyes._

_"Of course," he breathed. "I want you to."_

_I ran my hand down his face and neck. He made his shirt disappear quickly and I moved forward. Feeling even bolder, I touched the tip of my tongue to one of his light pink nipples. He gave a barely concealed moan. He liked that. I took the nipple fully into my mouth and started suckling on it. I played with it until it was hard. I withdrew my mouth and did the same thing with the other one. I trailed my mouth down his belly and when I reached his pants, I withdrew my mouth._

_"Will you…?" Bryan asked._

_I merely nodded and fumbled with his pants. He smiled at my ineptitude and assisted me in taking down his pants. His boxers came down next. I felt my face growing warmer as I stared at his naked body. He was so…so beautiful._

_He stepped forward and pressed our lips together once more. His tongue slipped past my lips and I opened them once more so our tongues could dance._

_He walked me backward so we could lay down on his bed together. I lay on my back with him over me. He nibbled on my bottom lip before moving to my neck. He sucked on my pulse point greedily and then moved down to my chest. Just as I had done minutes before, he took one of my nipples in his mouth, causing me to moan quietly. He played with it until it was hard and then moved to the other. He placed light kisses on my belly. My heart started beating faster. His tongue touched the tip of my erection and I hissed._

_"You like that?" Bryan asked._

_"Don't…stop!" I hissed._

_"You do like it!" Bryan grinned._

_"Bryan!" I protested._

_Bryan leaned back down and lightly brushed against my erection again. He slowly took me into his mouth, licking and sucking as he went. I moaned and groaned, my breath coming in soft pants. Bryan's face was flushed with pleasure. I shuddered and thrust my hips up to try and release. We moved in time with one another. I could feel myself getting closer and closer. Bryan seemed to know and pulled his mouth away. I finally let go, liquid bursting everywhere. My vision was blurred and I was panting, but it was worth it. _

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Chapter 20

Axel gave a barely audibly groan when he heard someone knocking on the front door. He very reluctantly pulled away from where his mouth was suctioned to Roxas's neck and got up to answer the door.

Axel and Roxas had not had sex since Roxas had been raped and Axel was in no hurry to change that. Horny as he was, he would not push his mate. The blond was slowly recovering from his traumatic experience and while he seemed to be almost normal, he still had his moments of weakness. The only thing Axel could do during those times was hold his mate and try to stop the tears. They had made some progress in two weeks: they had gone from just kisses to soft touches. Axel had to be careful though one wrong touch would send Roxas off. The progress was slow, but still evident.

The knocking persisted. Gritting his teeth, Axel went to answer the door.

"What?" he hissed, throwing the door open.

A young guard stood there, looking quite nervous.

"Oh…um…y…you and your mate are supposed to go to Xemnas's office as soon as possible," the guard stammered.

"All right," Axel responded. "We'll be there in ten minutes. Tell him that."

"O…okay," the guard nodded.

Axel shut the door and, muttering curses under his breath, returned to the bedroom. He stood in the doorway for a few moments, looking at his mate. Roxas was stretched out on the bed, his shirt removed. His eyes were half closed and he was completely still except his chest, which rose and fell with his breathing.

"Roxas?" Axel asked.

Roxas's eyes opened. "Yeah?"

"Xemnas wants to see us."

"Oh. Okay." Roxas shifted his position so he was sitting up.

Axel walked to the bed and caught Roxas's lips with his own. Roxas gave a quiet sigh and closed his eyes as Axel's arms wrapped around him. He felt himself melting beneath Axel's gentle touches.

"You okay?" Axel asked, momentarily pulling away.

"Fine," Roxas whispered. "Just fine."

He leaned against Axel's chest. Axel gently stroked his bare back, being careful to not move too low. Roxas's skin was so soft under his touch. He pressed his lips to Roxas's forehead.

"Come on. We have to go and talk to that self-important, windbag of a man," he whispered.

Roxas gave a low laugh. "You know it's not very nice to call Xemnas those names."

"Yeah, I know." Axel smiled. "It's true though and you know it. That man loves to hear himself talk."

"I can't deny that," Roxas murmured into Axel's shoulder.

Axel smirked. "We'd better get going before Xemnas has a litter of kittens.

Roxas gave another low laugh. He buried his face deeper in Axel's shoulder. "Don't wanna move."

"Neither do I, but we've gotta. I don't want Xemnas to get on my ass. He's annoying enough as it is," Axel said through clenched teeth.

"You're right," Roxas said reluctantly.

Axel placed several chaste kisses on Roxas's lips and then pulled away. He blinked, surprised when Roxas tightly clung to him.

"Roxas…" he murmured.

"Just a little longer, okay?" Roxas asked.

Axel nodded and moved closer to Roxas again. They cuddled together on the bed for several minutes. Reluctantly, they got up. Roxas slipped his shirt back on. They entwined their fingers as they walked to Xemnas's office.

When they arrived, Zexion, Saix, and Riku were already there. Xemnas sat at his desk, staring at the three of them.

"Good, you came," he said when they entered.

"What's going on?" Axel asked.

"I received a summons from the Council. They're going to hear Saix's case. It's unusual for this to happen so soon, but it's a very special case. Now Zexion, you have already expressed that you are comfortable with venturing out despite your condition, am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Zexion nodded. "I'm still a couple weeks away from my due date. I should probably be all right for a while."

"Very well. I will permit you to come, but you need to take it easy. I will not risk any hurt to the baby or you. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," Zexion said.

"We will be gone for several days, so make sure you keep that in mind when you pack. It's a long, complex matter that has to be settled. All the arrangements have already been made. All you need to do is pack. We will leave early tomorrow morning. That is all. You may go."

Roxas and Axel left first. Their fingers interlocked as they walked back to their apartment. Axel closed and locked the door behind him. Roxas went into one of their closets and pulled out two duffel bags. He brought them to the bedroom where Axel was already rifling through his trunk, trying to find clean clothes.

"I brought a bag," Roxas said quietly.

"Thank you," Axel responded. "Just leave it on the bed."

Roxas nodded and dropped both bags onto the bed. He went to his own trunk and started pulling out clothes. He neatly placed them in the bag. It didn't take him very long to finish packing and so he watched his mate finish packing. Once Axel had finished, he zipped up his bag and turned to Roxas.

He hesitated slightly and then pressed his lips to Roxas's. Roxas willingly tilted his head back and parte d his lips when Axel pressed his tongue against them. Axel moved cautiously through Roxas's mouth, being careful to not cause Roxas any reason to become upset. He was surprised when he felt Roxas's tongue press against his. His eyes widened and he broke off the kiss.

"Roxas?" he asked.

"It's okay," Roxas said softly. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Axel asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered without hesitation. "I…I'm ready."

"Okay. We'll go slowly. If you want me to stop, let me know, okay?"

"Okay." Roxas nodded.

He was the one who began the kiss. Axel slipped his tongue between the parted lips and explored the hot mouth. He let his hands wander lower, always being careful. He nibbled on Roxas's lower lip for a moment before suctioning his mouth to Roxas's neck. He nipped at the skin hard enough to make Roxas flinch slightly, but soft enough so a mark would not be left behind. Suddenly, Roxas's hands were at his own waist and lifting his shirt off. He let the shirt drop carelessly to the floor and pressed his chest against Axel's. Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas's body and started stroking Roxas's back, running his fingers up and down the blond's spine. All the while, Axel's mouth was sucking on Roxas's pale neck. Roxas's arms were wrapped around his waist and slipped up the back of his shirt.

"Do you want this off me?" Axel whispered.

"That'd be nice," Roxas replied.

Smirking, Axel pulled away from his mate and brought his shirt over his head. He let it drop on top of Roxas's. He stepped forward again and their lips met. Tongues came into play quicker this time and things started getting more heated. Axel's fingers slid beneath Roxas's pants, lightly grazing his hipbones.

"You're trembling," Axel uttered, withdrawing his fingers.

"I'm sorry," Roxas whispered, his entire body shaking.

"Don't be. I am. I got excited."

"It's my fault." Tears stung at Roxas's eyes. "I'm being pathetic."

"You are not pathetic," Axel said sternly, brushing the tears away from Roxas's eyes. "I know it may not make you feel better about yourself, but…I went through the same thing you're going through now." Roxas stared at him curiously. Axel sighed and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "I was raped when I was eleven."

"O...oh," Roxas managed to say.

"I know Riku told you what he found out about me, but that's only the beginning. I was molested, but it didn't start until I was eight. My father sold me to a man named Ryan when I was six."

"Sold…?" Roxas breathed.

"As a slave, yes." Axel smiled bitterly. "My father wasn't exactly the nicest man out there. Ryan started abusing me physically. He was trying to break me. I was very spirited as a child." The bitter smile widened. "I submitted, but only partially. It got me food, but I wouldn't let him completely control me. When I was eight, I was sold again to a man whose name I never knew. He was the one who started molesting me. Touching me in places I never wanted…" Axel swallowed hard. "I still didn't break so he raped me when I was eleven. I finally broke. He didn't feed me so that meant…" Axel stopped.

He didn't want Roxas to know what he had to become in order to survive. He knew Roxas would be very accepting of it because that was the kind of person he was, but he still didn't want his kind mate to know.

Roxas saw his hesitation and reached up to gently brush his cheek. He rested his hand there.

"It's okay," he said softly.

Axel stared at his mate. Roxas looked at him with a soft expression. He wouldn't be judgmental.

Axel exhaled softly and put his hand on top of Roxas's, which still rested on his cheek.

"A whore," he said finally. "I was a whore. Men would pay to have sex with me."

As Axel expected, Roxas was anything but disgusted. Roxas's sapphire eyes were filled with compassion as he and Axel stared at each other.

Finally, Axel pulled his hand away and let it drop to his side.

"It was after that, that I met Xemnas," he said. At Roxas's expression, he added, "he wasn't one of my clients. He watched me for a long time and eventually came forward and told me that he thought I'd make a good Breeder. I didn't really have a choice in coming to The Institute. I was released from my…well I guess I have to call him my master…and Xemnas brought me to The Institute."

Roxas nodded. He wrapped his arms around Axel again and rested his head on Axel's chest. He gave a soft whimper. Axel rubbed his back soothingly as his mate cried.

-----------------

The next morning, Roxas and Axel reported to Xemnas's office with their bags. They were the first ones to arrive. Xemnas ignored them as they waited.

Several minutes later, Zexion arrived looking incredibly stressed. He stood on Roxas's other side, mute. When Saix entered with several guards, Zexion refused to even look at him. Axel hissed under his breath. Roxas laced his fingers through Axel's. Axel remained where he was, though he did not relax his tense posture. Last to arrive was Riku, also accompanied by guards.

Xemnas rose from his desk. "Let's go."

He left first and waited beside the door for the rest of them to exit so he could lock to the door. Then he took the lead again.

They went through a side door as before. Outside, on the same gravel driveway were two limos.

"There are two?" Axel asked.

"Yes." Xemnas nodded. "There are a lot more of us going this time around so we require two limos instead of one. Besides, it's wise to separate you and Saix." Axel flushed slightly. "I shall take Saix and the guards with me in the first limo. The rest of you will squeeze into the second limo. I will trust you four to behave yourselves since you will be alone except for the driver."

Xemnas gave Riku a severe look.

"I'll behave," he muttered.

Roxas entered the limo first, followed closely by Axel. They sat on one side with Zexion and Riku on the other side. Since it was a nice day, the driver rolled the windows down partway, allowing them to look out and watch the world go by. Riku was one of the ones most eager to look out because it had been so long since he had seen the world that lay beyond The Institute. Zexion was only mildly interested in the scenery. He was lost in his own thoughts. Roxas and Axel were silent.

Soon, the open countryside gave way to the suburbs, which developed into the city. Their pace slowed when the streets became clogged with cars and other vehicles. People stared at the limo and the driver was forced to roll the windows up. Disappointed, Riku slumped back against his seat.

The limo stopped suddenly and the doors were opened by the driver. Axel brushed Roxas's cheek. Roxas lifted his head from where he had been resting it on his mate's shoulder and opened his eyes, looking around confused.

"We've arrived," Axel said softly.

They climbed out. Riku and Zexion were waiting, surrounded by several guards. The other limo was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Xemnas?" Axel asked.

"He took Saix to the Council," one of the guards answered. "We've been instructed to take you to the hotel until the Council wants to see you."

"So you get to babysit us?" Riku questioned.

"That's basically our job description," one of the other guards responded with a faint smile.

They walked into the lobby of the hotel. It was large and ornately decorated. They received more than a few curious stares as they proceeded across the lobby, though they were mostly directed at Zexion. They reached a row of elevators and one of the guards pushed the call button. They waited.

At last, there was a soft dinging sound and the metal doors slid open. People filed out and shot curious glances at the group. When the elevator had been emptied, they entered, squeezing as many in as possible. Still, several of the guards had to wait for the next one. Their room was on the fourth floor. The doors opened, revealing a wide hallway with elaborate carpet and expensive wallpaper. Both had the same strange design that in reality was just a bunch of shapes thrown together in a specific way to make it look pretty. They passed several mahogany doors with brass numbers on them and then stopped outside number 413.

One of the guards produced a key, not a card key, but an actual brass key. He unlocked the door and motioned for them to enter. Riku crossed the threshold first. The room was entirely shrouded in darkness. Riku stumbled around, looking for a light switch. He ran into something solid and cussed loudly. Behind him, Axel flipped on the lights to reveal Riku facing a wall, cursing fluently.

"Did you just run into the wall?" Axel asked.

"…yes." Riku's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. He glared at Axel. "I couldn't see a damn thing."

"I know." Axel's eyes danced with amusement nonetheless.

"Are you all right?" Roxas asked, coming in behind his mate.

"I'm fine," Riku muttered. "My pride is probably hurt more than I am."

Zexion entered last, not speaking a word. His cerulean eyes were troubled.

"It's up to you guys to decide who's going to sleep where," a guard said from the door. "Xemnas and the rest of us are on either side of you and the rooms connect so don't cause any trouble." The guard closed the door behind him.

"Right. So now what?" Riku asked, looking around.

The room was simple, but elegant. The carpet and walls matched with a design similar to the one in the hallway. A chandelier hung overhead illuminating the entire room. There were two large beds with a table between them. On the table was a lamp and a clock. The beds were made of mahogany, each with a large headboard and matching midnight blue covers. On the other side of the far bed in the space between it and the large window was a third rollaway bed.

"There's a third bed. Good," Riku stated. The others looked at him curiously. "Well I wasn't about to share a bed with Zexion. It would be wrong because even though he's a nice guy and all, I don't think it'd be right for us to share a bed. He's a Bearer, no, a pregnant Bearer, and I'm a Breeder who isn't his mate."

"So if there wasn't an extra bed, what would you have done?" Roxas asked curiously.

"Slept on the floor," Riku simply answered.

"Thank you," Zexion said softly.

"Sure." Riku shrugged. "I'll take the rollaway and you can have one of the beds. Roxas and Axel can have the other." He looked at the two of them. "Unless that won't work…?"

"No, it's okay." Roxas shook his head. "I'm comfortable sharing a bed with Axel."

Riku looked slightly surprised, but nodded. They claimed their beds and lay down. Axel and Roxas cuddled. Zexion slept. Riku turned on the TV and idly flipped through channels. The day passed without incident. At six, dinner was brought for them to eat. They fell asleep early.

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_Roxas was dragged into a deserted hallway and thrown against one of the walls. While he was stunned, he was pinned against the wall. Roxas got a glimpse of his captor, a Breeder he knew from a distance._

_He gave a harsh gasp as he felt the Breeder's body press against his and slammed into the Breeder with his shoulder. It was like running into a thick concrete wall. _

_"Let me go!" Roxas yelled. _

_The Breeder ignored him and clamped his mouth over Roxas's. He licked and nipped at Roxas's lips, trying to gain entry. Roxas firmly kept his lips together._

_"Open your mouth," the Breeder commanded, pulling away._

_"No." Roxas shook his head._

_"I said open your mouth!"_

_"Go to hell!" _

_The Breeder growled softly and seized Roxas by the hair and roughly slammed his head against the wall. A soft gasp left Roxas's lips. The Breeder took advantage of this and slipped his tongue into Roxas's mouth. Roxas nearly choked. He tried to push the Breeder away, but it was futile. The Breeder was at least twice his size and three times as strong. Still he struggled, pleading and crying to be let go. The Breeder just ignored him. _

_He slammed his hips to Roxas's, grinding them together. Roxas grimaced at the contact. One of the Breeder's hands slid up his shirt, taking in the soft skin. Roxas's breath caught in his throat when the Breeder's hands ran over his nipples._

_"You are as beautiful as your outward appearance suggests," the Breeder whispered huskily, nibbling on his earlobe._

_Roxas could barely suppress a groan. "S…stop."_

_"Now why would I stop?" the Breeder asked._

_"I'm…I'm not your mate," Roxas stammered._

_"Do you think I look like I give a fuck?"_

_The Breeder placed more hot kisses on Roxas's neck. His hands slid down to Roxas's waist, cupping his crotch with one of his hands. Roxas gave a harsh gasp. The Breeder slid Roxas's pants down to his knees._

_"No, please!" Roxas breathed._

_The Breeder ignored him. He slid Roxas's boxers down._

_"Please no!" Roxas tried again._

_"Silence!" the Breeder snapped._

_"Help me! Someone please help me!" Roxas screamed. _

_"I said silence!" the Breeder slapped Roxas across the face._

_Roxas cried out and his face twisted around. _

_"There, that's better," the Breeder said. _

_He lifted Roxas's legs up, freed them from the tangled mess of his pants and boxers, slid his own clothes down, and wrapped Roxas's legs around his waist. _

_"No! Let me go! Someone please help me! Anyone!" Roxas screamed._

_The Breeder slammed into him hard and without any sort of hesitation. Roxas screamed as he was penetrated by one who was not his mate. The Breeder slammed again harder. Roxas dug his fingernails into the Breeder's shoulders, trying to force him to let go. The Breeder's face twisted unpleasantly. _

_"Axel please help me! Please" Roxas cried, tears streaming down his face. _

_"AXEL!!"_

-------------------

Roxas jerked awake and sharply sucked in his breath, trying to stifle a scream. Zexion reached over and switched on the lamp. Riku muttered several curses under his breath and held up his hand to shield his eyes from the offending light. Once his eyes had adjusted, he lowered his hand and rolled onto his side to see what was going on. Roxas was choking sobs back.

"Roxas?" Axel asked softly. "Was it a nightmare?"

Roxas slowly nodded. Axel gathered him in his arms and held him tightly.

Xemnas burst into the room. "What's going on?"

Roxas buried his face in Axel's shoulder, unable to answer.

"Roxas had a nightmare," Zexion explained.

"Are you all right Roxas?" Xemnas asked.

"What do you think?" Axel spat. "He was fucking raped and has fucking nightmares now. It's gonna haunt him all his life. He may be able to get over it, but he won't forget it."

"Yes, you're right," Xemnas acquiesced. "Take care of him."

"Duh!"

Xemnas bade them goodnight and returned to his room. Zexion watched Roxas and Axel for a few minutes before deciding that Axel had a handle on things and switched the light off. Riku rolled onto his other side and went back to sleep.

Roxas finally stopped crying and lay quietly in Axel's arms.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," Roxas whispered. "I'm scared. I don't want to go back there. If I close my eyes, I will."

"Shh." Axel gently kissed Roxas on the forehead. "You don't have to go back to sleep. I'll stay up with you, all right?"

"Okay." Roxas sniffed softly and curled up into his mate's protective embrace.

To be continued…

Notes: Arg, the first scene with Roxas and Axel was a challenge to write. They were being very reluctant to go see Xemnas. They just didn't wanna move! And I had trouble with the scene after they came back from seeing Xemnas. It took me a couple days to write, which is unusual for me.

Riku has made things eternally complicated by witnessing Roxas's rape. It was originally supposed to be Zexion and Demyx in the scene, as I mentioned before, which made things complicated when they went to the Council. Because Demyx and Zexion were supposed to share a bed in the hotel room but I couldn't have Riku sharing a bed with Zexion. As he said, it'd be wrong. So I brought in a rollaway bed and because he's the one who started everything, Riku got to sleep on it.

Wow, I managed to neatly chop the chapter. I'm surprised. It's still a long chapter. I thought I was going to include the Council scene, which is probably going to be lengthy in itself, but I managed to prevent that.

Also, I just want to say thank you to all my readers in general for their support after I got the flame. I love you so much! I don't think I would have gotten this far without you!

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to mention this: I picked out songs for some of the characters.

Roxas/Axel: We Belong-Pat Benatar (I listened to this song when I wrote the scene where Axel finally accepts Roxas)

Roxas: Black Velvet-Alannah Myles

Axel: Animal I Have Become-Three Days Grace

I'll add more as I find the songs.


	21. Chapter 21

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy VII. Nor am I making any money by writing this. I do, however, own the original characters so please don't take them without my permission.

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_Bryan lay next to me, his arms wrapped around my waist. I could feel his erection pressing against my thigh._

_"Was that…all right?" he asked, briefly kissing my lips. _

_"Mmm…yeah," I answered with a smile. "Now it's my turn."_

_Before he could protest, I had him pinned on his back, his legs spread. I leaned down and placed several kisses on his lips._

_"Let me…take care of you now," I whispered between kisses._

_I moved my mouth to his cheek and slowly down his neck. I took my time on purpose, knowing it would drive him wild. And it did._

_"Jay…please!" he wheezed as I placed light teasing kisses on his belly._

_"Mmm?" I asked playfully._

_"Stop teasing me!" Bryan hissed._

_I smiled and pressed my tongue against the tip of his erection. I briefly ran my tongue over it, causing him to moan softly. I ran my tongue across it again to get the same reaction. Then, I slowly took him in my mouth, causing him to gasp and pant. He thrust his hips up and down in time to the movement of my mouth. _

_He screamed when he came and I was glad there was no one to hear us. We lay side by side after we had finished our explorations. Both of us were tired and lay silently. There was no reason for us to say anything._

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Chapter 21

The next morning, the guards got them up early so they could go to see the Council. They took a quick breakfast in their room, though none of them really ate much. Xemnas met them in the hotel's lobby and silently accompanied them out to the waiting limo. They attracted many stares. Axel pursed his lips and protectively wrapped his arm around his mate and ushered him into the limo. Zexion and Riku followed.

The drive to the Council was short. They were hurried up to the third floor and sat apart from everyone else in the waiting room. Because of this, people stared even more, especially at Zexion.

They waited for half an hour before they were taken into the Council's chamber by an unremarkable looking woman.

The Council's chamber was cold and dimly lit, just as Roxas remembered it to be. The Council sat in their usual places, their faces hidden by shadows.

"Welcome," a woman's voice boomed out. "Are all of them here?"

"Yes," Xemnas responded. "I have brought all those involved in the incident: Roxas, Axel, Zexion, and Riku. Roxas, of course, was the one who was raped. Axel and Riku witnessed the event. Zexion is the mate of the one who instigated the attack.

"Very well," the woman said. "Bring the prisoner in."

A side door opened and Saix entered, handcuffed and surrounded by guards of the Council, dressed in black robes. Saix looked years older; his hair was tangled and matted, his face was unwashed, and there were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept much the night before. He was kept at a distance from the rest of the group.

"Now Xemnas, I would like you to give a brief explanation of what happened. Then, we will ask some general questions. We are just going to gather the general facts today. Tomorrow, we will see each one of you individually and discuss the incident in a one on one situation. On the third day, we will review everything and discuss what the punishment should be. We will then come to a decision and let you know our verdict." The woman turned to Xemnas. "Now Xemnas, what happened?"

"From what I have been told, Saix grabbed Roxas and took him down a deserted hallway. He trapped Roxas and raped him. Axel sensed that something was wrong and ran to find his mate. His friend, Riku followed. They witnessed Roxas getting raped and intervened. Axel was attacking Saix when the guards arrived. Both of them were detained and brought to me. I immediately sought the truth and interviewed everyone involved."

"All right. Thank you," the woman said. "We will now conduct our own interview of each of those involved, beginning with Roxas. The rest of you may wait in the side chamber. All except the prisoner who will be escorted back to the holding area."

The group was shown into a side room with large windows and threadbare furniture. Ten minutes passed and then Roxas was called back into the Council chamber. The members of the Council had not moved at all in ten minutes. They appeared to be made of stone. Roxas stood before them, silent.

"Now Roxas," the same woman as before said. "Tell us what happened to you. Don't hold anything back."

Roxas nodded. "I was…going to lunch with my friends Demyx and Zexion. We had just gotten back from the Medical Facility because Zexion had an appointment to see Dr. Vexen. Demyx and I went with him for moral support. After we left, we were going to go to lunch because it was around that time, but someone grabbed me from behind. My mouth was covered so I couldn't scream and get the attention of my friends. I was dragged away from them and taken into a deserted hallway."

"At this point, did you know that it was Saix who was assaulting you?" a man with rust-colored hair asked.

"No," Roxas answered. "He held me from behind so I didn't get a chance to see his face until he slammed me against the wall."

"I see," the rusty-haired man said, rubbing his chin. "Please continue your narrative."

"He held me against the wall even though I tried to fight him off. He forced his tongue into my mouth by slamming my head into the wall. He…undressed me. I screamed for help, but he silenced me. Then he…was inside me." Roxas choked back a sob, tears oozing out of the sides of his eyes.

"Are you all right Roxas?" the rusty-haired man asked, sounding genuinely concerned. "Do you need a moment?"

"Yes," Roxas answered in a small voice. He wiped budding tears from his eyes.

The rusty haired man heaved a sigh and got up.

"Reno, what are you doing?" a bald-headed man asked.

"I'm giving the poor child a tissue. Don't you have any compassion? Sheesh." The man named Reno shook his head in annoyance.

He stepped into the light and Roxas could see that not all the Council members were as old as Roxas had first thought. This man wasn't even thirty years old and he was a member of the Council.

Reno seemed amused at Roxas's dumbfounded expression. "Yeah, I'm only twenty eight and I'm on the Council. It's a long story. Here." He reached into his robes, pulled out a tissue, and handed it to Roxas.

"Thank you," Roxas mumbled, dabbing at his wet eyes with the tissue.

Reno smiled and returned to his seat.

"Now Roxas," the bald headed man said. "When you are ready, please continue your story."

Roxas nodded and took in a shuddering breath. "I...I dug my fingernails into his shoulders to try and get him to let go. He…he thrust harder and harder. I…remember screaming for Axel. Somehow, I knew that he could hear me. Then he showed up. H…he sounded r…really upset. I…I was scared o…of what he'd think of the scene. Would he believe that I was…willingly participating or that I was being raped? I…I didn't know." Roxas paused to dab his eyes with the tissue again. "H…he pulled Saix off me and I fell to the ground. S…someone touched me on the shoulder and I thought it was Saix. It was Riku. I…got myself together. Riku took me back to the dormitory. He…made sure I didn't fall over. Zexion and Demyx were there when I got there. A…a guard called them into the hallway and said that there was a Breeder who wanted to talk to them. I just sat there until they came back in. Zexion…he seemed to know what had happened and hugged me. I started crying. A guard came to get us to bring us to Xemnas where we told him what happened." Roxas sniffed softly.

"Is that all?" the raven-haired woman asked.

"Y…yes. That's what happened."

"Then you may go."

Roxas nodded and returned to the side chamber where the others waited.

"How did it go?" Zexion asked anxiously.

"G…good," Roxas answered with a slight smile.

He sat next to Axel on the threadbare couch. Their fingers entwined. Seeing them made Zexion lonely. He missed Demyx and desperately wished he could have been there too.

Half an hour later, Axel was called into the Council's room. He let go of Roxas's hand, gave him a quick kiss, and followed the plain looking woman into the larger room where the Council sat. He stood in front of them calmly.

"So Axel," the woman in charge boomed. "Tell us what you saw."

"Well," Axel began, "I was at lunch. I was standing in line behind Riku and then I swore I heard Roxas crying for me, begging me to help him. I wasn't sure what to make of it until I heard Roxas scream my name as loud as he could. I knew that he was in trouble. I could tell that he was in pain. I dropped my tray in my surprise. I left the line to go and find Roxas. My instincts told me that he was in trouble and somehow, I knew where to find him. Riku followed me. I heard terrified shrieks and moved faster. Then I saw what was going on." Axel stopped and shook his head.

"What did you see?" a rusty-haired man prodded.

"Roxas was pinned against the wall with his legs wrapped around Saix's waist."

"Did you know it was Saix?" the bald headed man interjected.

"No." Axel shook his head. "I only saw his back. But I could see Roxas. He was crying and his nails were digging into Saix's back. I stood there for a few minutes in shock and then stepped forward. I yelled at Saix, 'what the fuck do you think you're doing to my mate' and pulled him off. I heard Roxas shriek, but I didn't see what he did because I was too fixated on making sure Saix didn't escape. I made sure Roxas was taken out of there and then I attacked Saix. I made sure the son of a bitch got what he deserved." Axel smiled bitterly. "After that, the guards arrived and both of us were restrained and were taken to Xemnas's office. Saix's injuries were taken care of and Xemnas asked us what went on."

The Council members were silent. Finally, one of them dismissed Axel. He returned to the room and found the others eating a brief lunch that someone had brought in. Axel sank onto the couch next to Roxas with a sandwich. He noticed that Roxas wasn't eating anything and pursed his lips. He broke off a piece of his sandwich and shoved it at Roxas.

"Eat it," he ordered.

Roxas shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

"I don't care. Eat it. You're too damn skinny as it is. Eat it before I shove it down your throat."

Roxas looked surprised, but took the bit of sandwich from Axel and ate it. When it was gone, Axel broke off another chunk and gave it to Roxas. Roxas soundlessly took it and ate it. Axel took a piece for himself and gave another piece to Roxas. Soon, the sandwich was gone.

"Thank you," Roxas murmured, leaning his head on Axel's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," Axel muttered.

Zexion was called into the Council next, followed by Riku, and then Xemnas. When Xemnas came back, they were free to leave for the day. They returned to the hotel.

"We'll be eating dinner in the hotel restaurant," Xemnas told them as they prepared to go up to their rooms. "So be prepared. We'll be going at four because it won't be as busy, but we'll still receive a lot of attention."

They went up to their rooms. Riku quietly watched TV. Zexion took a nap. Roxas and Axel lay together on their bed. Despite Roxas's fear of sleeping because of the nightmares he was suffering from, he soon fell asleep against Axel's chest. The redhead didn't seem to mind and lay as still as he could, watching his mate sleep.

He felt bad waking Roxas a couple hours later. It was the first time in a while Roxas had been able to sleep without waking up screaming. The four of them were silent as they changed into fresh clothes in the bathroom and went down to the restaurant.

They received many curious glances as they were seated in the restaurant by a tall dark-haired man in a tuxedo. Riku looked around the room. It was large and spacious with floor to ceiling windows that made up the west wall. The sun came through these windows and reflected off the crystal on the tables.

The tables themselves ranged from two person tables to twelve person tables. They had pure white tablecloths and crystal and fine china set out as neatly as possible. It was too perfect in Riku's opinion. Riku looked around the room more. It was so…so elegant. Large crystal chandeliers hung overhead and expensive-looking paintings adorned the walls. Riku grimaced and returned his attention to the table they were sitting at. They sat alone; Roxas, Axel, Zexion, and himself, but they were surrounded on all sides by guards. Xemnas was nowhere in sight. Probably had some important business to take care of.

Riku lowered his eyes to the menu that had been placed in front of him. It was laminated and decorated with purple tassels. Cute. Riku opened the menu and whistled softly. Everything was expensive, but he shouldn't have expected anything different from Xemnas. The man had expensive taste.

Riku looked up, smirking. "Do you think we'd be allowed to order something alcoholic?"

"Riku!" Zexion protested.

"I don't see why not," Axel said, looking up from his menu. "There's no legal drinking age and Xemnas isn't here…"

"Axel, be responsible!" Zexion chided.

"We should order something alcoholic, just for the hell of it." Riku grinned. He turned to one of the guards accompanying them. "Do you guys object?"

"Do what you want." The guard shrugged. "We don't really care. Just don't get wasted or we'll have to tell Xemnas."

"Right." Riku flipped through the menu until he came to the wine section. "You know much about wine Axel?"

"Only a little," Axel answered.

"Yeah, me too." Riku studied the wine list, which was comprised of a dozen wines he had never heard of and a couple he had only briefly heard of.

They ended up ordering a bottle of Merlot. The waiter brought all four of them glasses, but only Axel and Riku drank. Roxas and Zexion stuck to water. They ordered their food and waited, lapsing into an awkward silence. Axel and Riku sipped at their wine.

"Can I try a little?" Roxas asked, watching Axel drink.

"All right. I don't think you'll like it though."

Axel handed the glass to Roxas and watched him take a sip. Roxas made a face and handed the glass back to Axel.

"You're right. I don't like it." Roxas took a long drink of water.

"What about you Zexion?" Riku asked politely. "I'm sure a little sip of wine won't hurt the baby."

"No thanks." Zexion shook his head. "I don't like wine. I tried some when I was younger and never developed a liking for it."

They chatted nervously until their food came and then ate in silence. Since Xemnas was picking up the tab, they left right after they finished eating and spent the rest of the evening in another awkward silence.

To be continued…

Notes: I managed to split the chapter in half. I really didn't want to, but I had no other choice. If I hadn't, the chapter would be over 5,000 words long! Actually, it'd probably be closer to 5500 or even 6000 words. I think that's a bit too much to swallow at one time. So even though I didn't want to chop it in half and drag the Council scene out any longer, I had to.

I realized that I haven't mentioned very much about the Council and I'm not sure I can fit it into the story without it being out of place, but it is quite important. There are twelve of them, as mentioned before, eight men and four women. Almost all of them are in their forties and fifties, with the exception of Reno, who is twenty-eight. He also happens to be the only member whose name has been mentioned. How did someone as young as him get onto the Council? It's a very long story. Too long to mention here. Anyway, the names of the other Council members are Arlen, Rude, Carmine, Reno, Kalina, Inessa, Yasmin, Luna, Zeke, Vance, and Spenser. Just so you know their names. Oh and the raven-haired woman in charge is Luna. Arg, I could write novels after novel about these guys (and gals). There are so many side stories to this now. It's frustrating!!

Yes, there is alcohol in this world. I won't go into the details because it's a novel in itself, but there is such a thing as alcohol in this world. Also, there's no legal drinking age because alcohol is expensive in this world so not many people can afford it. Only the rich can afford a luxury such as this. Again, I can't go into the intimate details, at least not here.

Thanks to ohxasphyxiationx for pointing out my really large typos. Let me know if there are any more you see and I'll fix them.


	22. Chapter 22

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom hearts nor am I making any money by writing this. I do, however, own the original characters.

_Bryan and I continued to do these things together in secret. I knew our fathers would not approve of our relationship so I begged Bryan to keep it a secret. He agreed, if only for my sake. He wasn't bothered with our relationship at all and if it was up to him, our fathers would have known from the very start._

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Chapter 22

The following morning, they returned to the Council at the same early time as before. This time, however, they didn't go see the Council as a group; they were escorted to the same small chamber as before to wait until they were called in one by one. Roxas was the first to be summoned.

"Good morning Roxas," the raven-haired woman greeted him.

"Good morning," Roxas responded politely.

"We have some questions for you," the woman said.

Roxas frowned. It was an obvious statement.

"You said that you initially didn't know it was Saix who grabbed you?" the raven-haired woman inquired.

"No." Roxas shook his head. "I was grabbed from behind so I didn't know who it was."

"Did you try and fight him? Try to get away? Scream?"

"Of course I did," Roxas answered, slightly agitated. "He was so much bigger and stronger than I was. He covered my mouth with his hand so I couldn't scream."

"This next question will be a bit crude and personal," the raven-haired woman warned. "Did Saix…uh…um…"

"Did he cum?" Reno asked bluntly.

Roxas flushed bright pink at the question and couldn't answer for several minutes.

"Must you be so blunt Reno?" the bald-headed man asked, sounding peeved.

"Yes," Reno simply answered. "It's a simple question. Did he or didn't he?"

"He didn't," Roxas finally managed to answer. "Axel stopped him before he could."

"And you are sure of this?"

"Yes," Roxas answered confidently. "I know what it feels like."

Several Council members muttered softly.

"So Axel was the one who pulled Saix off?" the raven-haired woman regained control of the questioning.

"Yes," Roxas answered.

"You mentioned that you were scared?"

"Yes." Roxas nodded. "I wasn't sure if Axel would think I was being raped or not. He could have thought that I was just having sex with Saix. That I was willingly participating."

"Were you?"

"No!" Roxas burst out loudly. "I would never have sex with someone else behind Axel's back! I love him!"

"Now you said Riku helped you get back to the dormitory?" the raven-haired woman questioned.

"Yes," Roxas answered.

"Did you see Axel and Saix?"

"No. I didn't look. I got myself…decent then left. I...didn't want to think about it at the moment."

"Riku mentioned that you were afraid to be touched. He said you jerked away from him when he touched you on the shoulder."

"Yes." Roxas flushed slightly. "I…I thought it was Saix the first time Riku touched me. I was scared that he had come back and try to hurt me again. After I realized that it was Riku and he meant no harm at all, I calmed down."

"Riku never made any sort of threatening movement? You didn't feel at all threatened by him?"

"After I realized it was him and not Saix touching me, no. I didn't feel threatened at all. Riku kept his distance and only came close to me when I stumbled a couple times. Even when he had to grab my arm to hold me up, he was very careful."

"Did you know that Riku was the one who told your friends Zexion and Demyx what happened to you?"

"No." Roxas looked surprised.

"Are you upset that he did?"

Roxas reflected for a moment. "No. Zexion and Demyx are like my brothers. I can tell them everything and I know Riku did it for my own good. Those two are my support system. I couldn't have made it this far without them."

"And what about Axel? Did you know that he was the one who attacked Saix?"

"I sort of figured that he would. He has a temper, I can't deny that."

"And do you think Axel did the right thing by giving Saix what he deserved?"

"I want to say no," Roxas whispered. "But I can't. Axel is my mate and I'll stand by him no matter what."

"What if your mate raped another Bearer? What if he raped Demyx or Zexion?"

Roxas hesitated. "I…don't know. I pray that never happens."

"You are very loyal to your mate," the raven-haired woman observed.

"Yes." Roxas smiled fondly. "I know he's treated me badly in the past, but it doesn't change how I feel for him.

There was a brief pause.

"I believe that is all we needed to ask you. Thank you, Roxas. You may leave."

Roxas nodded and exited the chamber. He returned to the small room where the others waited and sank on the couch next to Axel. Half an hour later, Axel was called out of the room.

Roxas turned to Zexion. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Zexion answered with a small smile. "I don't think the baby's going to come for a while yet."

"That's good." Roxas smiled. "It would suck if you went into labor."

"Agreed."

It was almost as if things had gone back to normal, but Zexion knew as well as Roxas that things would never be normal again.

Axel returned after half an hour of questioning looking extremely drained. He dropped onto the couch next to Roxas with a soft groan and closed his eyes.

"Zexion?" the same plain-looking woman as before asked. "The Council wishes to see you now."

Zexion nodded and heaved himself to his feet. He followed the lady to the Council's chamber.

"Would you like a seat?" a man whose face was completely obscured by the shadows asked.

"Yes, please," Zexion answered.

A hard-backed wooden chair was brought in for him to sit on.

"Now Zexion, you are how many months pregnant?" the raven-haired woman asked.

"Nearly nine months," Zexion answered, resting his hand on his rounded belly. "My due date is in a couple weeks."

"And this is your first child?"

"Yes."

"Are you excited?"

"Oh yes. I've wanted a child for a very long time."

"You are very close to Roxas?"

"Yes, very close."

"What did you feel when you first learned about what happened to him?"

"I was very distressed. Roxas is like my little brother so it was very upsetting for me."

"And Demyx?"

"He seemed very upset as well. Like me, he thinks of Roxas as a little brother."

"Yes. It's a shame he wasn't able to make it here today. But no matter…" the raven-haired woman cleared her throat. "What was your first reaction after you had been told?"

"I instantly thought of Roxas and went to comfort him as soon as I could."

"Are you angry at Saix for doing this to Roxas?"

"Of course." Zexion's tone was bitter. "He may be my mate, but that doesn't excuse his actions."

"You do not get along with your mate, do you?"

"Not as well as Roxas and Axel, no."

"What do you dislike about him?" the raven-haired woman asked. Zexion stared at her incredulously. "All right, what do you dislike most about him?"

"He doesn't care!" Zexion blurted out.

"What do you mean?" the raven-haired woman frowned.

"He doesn't care about me at all! All he cares about is the sex! He never says anything to me, not a kind word or anything! He's not gentle either."

"In bed?" the rusty-haired man asked.

"Yeah, in bed. I mean, I know Axel was the same way with Roxas, but he was at least gentle with his mate in bed. And he changed. Saix hasn't changed."

"I see," the raven-haired woman murmured.

"So you don't care about what happens to him?" the rusty-haired man asked.

"Of course I care!" Zexion said, his voice rising. "He's my mate. I do still care about him. Probably more than I should. I hate him for what he did to Roxas, but that doesn't mean I don't have any compassion for him."

"You are aware of what may happen to him?" the raven-haired woman asked.

"Yes." Zexion's breath caught in his throat. "Xemnas told me that he faces execution."

There was a pause.

"Xemnas said something interesting," a woman with straw-colored hair suddenly spoke up. "He said that if Saix is allowed to live, you will refuse to let him touch you ever again, is that right?"

"Yes, that's right. Despite the outcome, Saix won't touch me ever again. I realize I have no say in the matter, but I don't care," Zexion said boldly. "I won't ever forgive him for what he's done. Mate or not, he took a Bearer without his permission. He's made Roxas's life hell. I can't forgive him."

"What do you mean 'he made Roxas's life hell'? What are you talking about?" the raven-haired woman frowned.

Zexion realized that he had slipped up and flushed. "I don't think…"

"Tell us!" The harsh tone made Zexion flinch.

He could not disobey a direct order from the Council. To do so would invite death.

"Roxas has been suffering nightmares for the past couple nights," Zexion said softly. "He relives what he saw when Saix raped him. He wakes up screaming and crying."

"Why wasn't this mentioned before?" the bald headed man asked.

"Because it's taking its toll on us all, but especially Roxas and Axel. We're just so overwhelmed with going on that we didn't want to add this into the mix."

"I see," the raven-haired woman murmured.

"We have no further questions for you," the rusty-haired man said. "You are dismissed."

Zexion heaved himself up from his chair and walked back to the small room. He sank down in the same armchair he had occupied earlier and exhaled softly. He hadn't realized how tired he was until he left the Council's chamber. Riku was called in next and then Xemnas. After that, they were free to go. They dined in the hotel's restaurant again, this time with Xemnas present. They stuck to water this time around. That night, Roxas woke up screaming from another nightmare. All Axel could do was hold him and hope that Saix got the punishment he deserved.

-----------------

They did not even leave the hotel room on the third day. It was because the Council was deliberating and they were not needed. The Council would send word when they had reached a verdict. The air in the room was thick with tension. Riku had the TV on, but wasn't really paying attention to the soap opera that was on. He watched Zexion sitting on the edge of his bed fidgeting nervously. He didn't blame the dark-haired boy; all of them were jittery.

Riku glanced over at the other bed. Roxas and Axel were curled up together. Although Roxas looked extremely nervous, Axel's face was as calm as ever. Riku envied Axel's ability to remain calm, even in the most tense of situations.

At five that evening, they received word that the Council had reached a decision and their presence was requested at the Council headquarters. They hastily got ready and were escorted down to the lobby. There was a large crowd of people waiting there for them when they arrived.

"Just ignore them," one of the guards advised.

"Easier said than done," Riku muttered under his breath.

Axel protectively wrapped his arms around Roxas and started walking. Riku stuck close to Zexion. Although he wasn't the dark-haired boy's mate, he felt a need to protect him, especially since his mate wasn't there, and he was pregnant.

They slid into the limo, all four of them on one side and several guards on the other side. Zexion was shaking badly as they drove to the Council's headquarters. Roxas took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It's going to be all right," he whispered.

Zexion looked like he wanted to believe Roxas, but couldn't. They finally arrived. An even larger crowd had formed outside the Council's headquarters. Members of the Police Force were holding them back the best they could. Clearly, word had spread about what had happened.

"They found out," one of the guards muttered, glancing through the tinted windows.

"It was only a matter of time," another said. He saw Roxas's confused glance and added, "the Council and Xemnas tried hard to keep The Institute a secret for all these years. The public knows that it exists and they have a general idea of what goes on, but they don't know the intimate details. They were not informed that you guys would be in town for a couple days and that you'd be standing in front of the Council. Now it seems they know. Otherwise, they wouldn't be flocking to the streets to see for themselves."

"It's my fault," Zexion murmured, placing a hand on his rounded belly. "They must have realized what I was, seeing me like this. If I wasn't there or if I wasn't so pregnant, they probably wouldn't have figured out that we were from The Institute."

"It's not your fault, Zexion," Roxas said quietly.

"Yeah," Riku agreed. "Even without you, we still stand out pretty vibrantly. Especially Axel with his vivid red hair."

Axel made a rude gesture with his middle finger.

"All right, it's time to go," one of the guards announced. "Remember, don't look at anyone. Ignore the people. Don't answer their questions. Stick close. We're here to make sure nothing happens to you. All right?"

Zexion, Roxas, Axel, and Riku nodded. The guard closest to the door was the one to open it. All the guards exited first and formed a protective barrier as Axel climbed out, followed closely by Roxas. The two of them stuck together. Riku exited third, and finally Zexion.

"Hey," Riku whispered so only Zexion could hear. "Stick close to me, all right? I'll make sure the crowds don't give you a hard time."

Zexion looked surprised. "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Riku looked slightly embarrassed.

Outside was chaos. The Police Force members were standing with their arms linked, trying their best to hold back the unruly crowd. Reporters shouted out questions that overlapped, contributing to the confusion.

Axel wrapped his arm around Roxas and gave the crowd a frosty glare. The crowd became slightly subdued. Riku was careful to place himself directly in front of Zexion to block him from sight. A handful of guards surrounded Zexion, effectively blocking him from the public's view. The procession into the Council's headquarters seemed to take longer than it actually did.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd. Riku realized too late that he had unintentionally allowed Zexion to be exposed. The crowd stared not at Zexion himself, but at his belly. It was fairly obvious that he was pregnant. After the initial shock wore off, the questions started anew. They hurried inside, ignoring the questions.

They were rushed up to the third floor and were immediately shown into the Council's chamber. Saix was already there, handcuffed as before. The Council sat in their usual places, all of them impassive, including Reno.

"We have decided upon a suitable punishment for Saix," the raven-haired woman said in her booming voice. "Saix is to be executed."

Zexion gave a sharp gasp. He felt like he had been hit with something extremely heavy. The world seemed to be swimming around him. He was scarcely aware of someone holding his arms, trying to keep him up. He fell to his knees anyway. Arms were wrapped around him and his head was directed to a shoulder. Zexion closed his eyes and took in the unmistakable scent of Roxas.

"I'm sorry," Roxas whispered. Zexion could hear the tears in his voice. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He repeated it over and over again until he was crying.

"It's okay Roxas," Zexion finally managed to reply through his own tears. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

They hugged for a long time. They pulled apart, both of their faces heavily streaked with tears.

"Zexion, you will not see Saix again so you must say your goodbyes," the raven-haired woman said. "We shall give you some privacy. You may use the small waiting chamber, but know that the guards are stationed right outside."

Zexion silently followed his mate into the small room. They were silent—Zexion had no idea what to say to his doomed mate.

"The baby isn't mine, is it?" Saix asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zexion instantly denied.

"I'm not naïve," Saix said. "Dr. Vexen may be an idiot, but I'm not. The due date is off by an entire month. There's no way the baby is mine. Please, Zexion. Don't think of me as an idiot."

"I…honestly don't know for sure if you're the father," Zexion confessed. "But I don't think the baby is yours." He looked at his mate. "How long have you known?"

"From the beginning," Saix replied. "From the moment you told me you were carrying a child. I knew it wasn't mine. I don't know how I knew. I just did."

"So is that why you raped Roxas?" Zexion asked. "To get revenge on me?"

"If I wanted revenge, I would have told Xemnas about your little secret," Saix sneered.

"Then why…?" Zexion asked.

"I wanted to know what it felt like to have sex with someone other than my mate, so I chose Roxas," Saix answered.

"Look where it got you," Zexion said.

Saix grinned evilly. "It was so worth it to have someone besides you screaming in agony."

Zexion glared at his mate and he looked like he wanted to hit him so badly.

"You fucking bastard!" he snarled. "You're a sick, twisted monster!"

Saix moved in closer to Zexion so they were only inches apart. "So are you."

Zexion's eyes widened.

"No I'm not!" he hissed. "I am nothing like you!"

"Are you sure?" Saix asked.

Zexion was silent. Saix was as well, but he seemed satisfied.

"Saix…why didn't you tell Xemnas?" Zexion asked after a long silence.

Saix frowned. "You were…so happy. Something I'd never seen before. I couldn't take that happiness away from you. I know I can't make you happy—it's not in my nature, but I know the father of your baby will."

"How do you know?" Zexion asked.

"I just know," Saix answered. "I have good instincts."

Zexion started crying. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did."

Saix shrugged. "I shouldn't have either."

"It isn't fair," Zexion whispered. "You have to die and I get to live even though we did almost the same thing."

"There's one difference," Saix said patiently. Zexion looked at him curiously. "You had a choice. Roxas did not. I did not give Roxas a choice. I'm guessing your partner did?" Zexion nodded. "See?"

"But…" Zexion protested.

Saix pressed his index finger to Zexion's lips. "It's not the same. One day you'll understand how. For now, just know that this is the way I want it to be, okay?" Zexion nodded. Saix withdrew his finger. "You've shown nothing but kindness to me. All I've done in return is hurt you. You deserve to be happy and you will be. Think of this as my way of saying thank you."

A guard knocked on the door and stuck his head in. "I'm afraid your time is up."

"Just give me a minute," Saix told him. He turned to Zexion, who had started crying softly again. "Can I kiss you one last time?"

"Yes." Zexion nodded, wiping his tears away.

Saix slowly moved forward and gently pressed his lips to his mate's. Saix was surprisingly gentle, his lips barely caressing Zexion's. They broke apart and Saix went to the door where the guard was waiting for him. He stopped and turned around. Zexion was watching him through tear filled eyes.

"Goodbye," Saix whispered.

Then he was gone.

To be continued…

Notes: Saix, what are you doing?? You're not supposed to be nice! You're not supposed to make the audience feel sorry for you! –starts whining pathetically- Why do my characters insist on torturing me? It's not nice!! Finally, the Council scene is wrapping up. I didn't think it would ever end. Now we can move on and I can start thinking about the end. Yes, the end is coming. Not right away, but I'm starting to think about the end. There are still a lot of things that need to happen before this ends, so you can expect at least a few more chapters. I'm not sure how many yet. But I am starting to think about the end.

About Demyx: the reason he didn't come is because he barely had a role in the incident. Zexion also played a minor role, but he also happens to be Saix's mate, so he had to be present. Xemnas also didn't want Demyx to stand in front of the Council because he'd lose his temper at least once (with Demyx, it's pretty much a given) and probably piss the Council off. Since Demyx's role was incredibly small and they could get all the important details from Zexion, the Council was willing to overlook Demyx.

About Saix: (besides the fact that he actually turned out to be a decent human being) he doesn't appear much during the scenes with the Council, but that doesn't mean that he wasn't there. Xemnas brought him to the Council the night before where he was detained as the custom. He's also questioned, both times right after Roxas so that's why there's a longer break between Roxas's interrogation and Axel's.

Thanks to **FinalFallenFantasy **and **MuffinPirate **for pointing out my typos. I really appreciate it. I know I've made a gazillion errors in the first 21 chapters as well. I'll go back and fix them...eventually...

And thanks to **darklink231 **for finding another typo. Really appreciate it!


	23. Chapter 23

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this. I do, however, own the original characters so please don't steal them.

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_It happened one afternoon a couple months after my fourteenth birthday while Bryan and I were out gathering wood. I started feeling really weird. Hot and tired and stuff. Bryan kept glancing at me._

_"What's wrong?" I finally asked._

_"Nothing." Bryan shook his head. "You just smell…really good. That's all."_

_I felt my face growing hot. _

_"Are you all right?" Bryan asked._

_"I'm fine," I answered. "I just feel really warm and tired. I don't know why."_

_"Maybe you should lay down," Bryan suggested._

_I shook my head. "We need to finish gathering wood."_

_Bryan sighed softly. "All right."_

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Chapter 23

Zexion stared at the door through which his mate had vanished for a long time. It hadn't fully sunk in yet, the full extent of what had happened. He expected Saix to walk through the door again as if it had all been a joke. But it wasn't.

Finally, realization sunk in. The room spun around and this time, there was no one to catch him. He found the wall and pressed his back against it. He slid down, his hand on his belly. Tears escaped from his eyes and dropped onto his knees, wetting the material. He wept bitterly, trying to keep the volume of his sobbing down to a minimum.

After ten or fifteen minutes, he stopped crying and tried to dry his tears. He forced himself to his feet, which was extremely hard for him. He leaned heavily against the wall pushing himself up with all his might. He panted and paused, pushing his sweaty bangs out of his eyes. After he had caught his breath, he started moving again, still struggling to his feet. Finally, he was up. He swore he was never going to sit down when so heavily pregnant again. He left the small room at last. Roxas and the others were waiting for him in the Council's chamber.

"Are you ready to go?" Xemnas asked quietly.

"Yes." Zexion nodded, brushing more tears from his eyes.

Roxas gave Zexion a worried glance, but he didn't say anything. They silently departed from the Council's headquarters and returned to the hotel.

"We are leaving," Xemnas told them. "Please go and pack your things. I will meet you here in the lobby."

Axel, Roxas, Riku, and Zexion were escorted up to their room. None of them spoke while they packed. They checked the room carefully to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. The guards were waiting just outside for them. They returned to the lobby where Xemnas and several more guards waited.

There was a small crowd in the lobby being held back by security. Outside was an even larger crowd being held back by the Police Force. Zexion felt even more tears wetting his cheeks and he ducked his head so the crowd wouldn't see his tears. He hurried into the limo and kept his face buried in his hands while the others crawled in. Axel and Roxas sat on one side and Riku sat next to Zexion. They were alone; the guards rode with Xemnas in the other limo. The door was closed and the limo started to wind its way through the clogged streets.

"Zexion?" Roxas asked softly.

Zexion lifted his head, tears rolling thickly down his face. Roxas moved across the limo and sat on Zexion's other side. He wrapped his arms around Zexion the best he could. Zexion let out a low, choked sob. He felt Roxas's hand gently stroking his hair. He wept softly into Roxas's shoulder. There was a bit of movement. Zexion looked up momentarily. Riku had moved across to sit next to Axel so they would have more room. Both of them watched silently as Zexion buried his face in Roxas's shoulder, crying softly.

"How did things get so bad?" Zexion asked weakly.

"I don't know Zexion," Roxas replied, gently stroking Zexion's hair.

"Am I being punished?"

"Shh Zexion," Roxas murmured, tightening his grip around Zexion.

"I've brought this upon myself," Zexion whispered.

He fell asleep in Roxas's arms, tears still streaking down his face. He slept for the entire ride back to The Institute. When they arrived at The Institute, Roxas gently shook him .

"Zexion, we're back," he whispered. "Wake up."

Zexion mumbled something indiscernible and opened his eyes. Unfocused cerulean orbs blinked until they focused on Roxas.

"I'm awake," Zexion muttered.

The door to the limo was opened.

"Time to go," one of the guards said.

They crawled out. Zexion swayed slightly. Roxas put his arms around him. Zexion tightly clung to him to keep himself up. Axel and Riku slowly trailed after them, watching. The guards kept their distance, but still kept a close eye on them.

Roxas stopped when they came closer to the dormitories and turned to Axel. "I'm going to go with Zexion and make sure he gets settled in, all right?"

"Yes." Axel nodded. He understood. "I'll see you later."

He gave Roxas a quick kiss and headed for their apartment. Roxas and Zexion continued on with Riku. When they reached the Bearers' dormitory, they stopped again.

"Take care, all right?" Riku asked softly.

"I will. You too." Roxas smiled.

"I will." Riku returned the smile.

He watched as Roxas helped Zexion into the dormitory and after he made sure they were safely inside, returned to his dormitory.

Demyx was waiting for them. His eyes widened and he stepped forward.

"Zexion!" he cried out softly.

Zexion turned toward him, his eyes blank. Roxas let go of him and Zexion walked over to Demyx. Demyx enveloped him in a huge hug.

"Oh Zex," Demyx whispered.

Zexion gave a choked sob. Demyx gently rubbed his back as he sobbed. After a while, Zexion was silent and allowed Demyx to lead him to his bunk to sleep. Demyx covered his lover with a blanket and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you," he whispered.

Demyx straightened up and turned to Roxas, who was watching from a distance.

"Was Saix executed then?" he asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered.

Demyx sighed softly. "I see." He slowly shook his head. "Damn. God fucking damn it!"

"Everything is going wrong," Roxas murmured.

"Yeah," Demyx agreed. He looked up at Roxas. "How was the outside world."

Roxas made a face. "Scary."

"Really?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah. It really was. I think it's because everyone stared at us all the time," Roxas answered.

"Did you really stand out that much?"

"Yeah." Roxas smiled. "We're all pale and skinny. We dress in the same outfit. It's clear that we're all from the same place. Plus Axel has bright red hair and Zexion is heavily pregnant."

"Ah. Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Demyx ran his fingers through his long hair. "So…what happened? With the Council and stuff. What's the world outside the walls of The Institute like besides being scary?"

Roxas looked around the dormitory. The other Bearers were lounging around. He took Demyx by the arm and led him out of the dormitory.

"Where are you going?" one of the guards stationed outside the door asked.

"We need to talk privately," Roxas answered.

"That's dangerous," the guard warned.

"Yes, I know. It's important, though. You can come with us, but I ask you to please give us a little privacy."

"Of course." The guard nodded.

He followed them down the hallway. Roxas found an empty classroom and brought Demyx inside. The guard waited in the hallway.

Roxas flipped on the light and moved toward the desks. He sat on top of one of them with Demyx close by.

"So…?" Demyx asked.

"What do you want to know?" Roxas asked.

"Everything! What happened? Where did you go? What did you do?"

"First we had to report to Xemnas's office where we met up with everyone. Then we went out through a side door. There was a gravel driveway outside with two limos waiting for us."

"Two?!" Demyx breathed.

"Yep." Roxas nodded. "There were a lot of us so we had to take two of them. Xemnas, the guards, and Saix went in one and the rest of us went in the other."

"Was it a long trip?"

"Yeah. It was pretty long. We live pretty far away from the city where the Council headquarters is."

"Did Riku behave himself?"

"Oh yes. Riku was a very good boy. After we got there, they took us to a hotel. The next morning, they took us to the Council's headquarters where we told them what happened."

"What were the Council members like?" Demyx asked curiously.

"Creepy," Roxas answered with a shiver as he remembered the unpleasant event. "They all seemed to be made out of stone. They barely moved or even blinked. There was one who seemed reasonably sane though. His name was Reno. He was really nice."

"That's good." Demyx smiled. "So what happened after that?"

"We went back to the hotel and had dinner at the restaurant there. It was a really fancy place. You would have hated it."

Demyx smirked. "That bad, huh?"

"Yes. Xemnas wasn't there so Riku and Axel ordered some wine."

"They did what?" Demyx asked in shock.

"They ordered wine. Axel let me try some."

"Did you like it?"

Roxas made a face. "No. It was nasty." Demyx smiled. "We went back to the Council's headquarters again the next day and they asked us all sorts of questions."

"What sort of questions did they ask you?"

"They asked me what happened when Riku helped me back to the dormitory, if I was afraid of him, and so on. There were a lot of personal questions."

"I see."

"They let us go after that and we had dinner in the hotel again, this time with Xemnas there. Because of that, Riku and Axel didn't order any wine. Today was spent at the hotel. They didn't need us. At five, they told us that they had made a decision. We went to the Council's headquarters again and they told us that they had decided that Saix was to be executed."

"Did Zexion cry?" Demyx asked.

"Yes," Roxas whispered. "He cried himself to sleep on the trip back here."

Demyx groaned softly and ran his fingers though his hair. "I wish he didn't have to suffer like this."

"I know," Roxas whispered. "So do I."

The two of them returned to the dormitory. Zexion was shifting restlessly in his bed. Demyx moved to his side and gently smoothed down his lover's hair.

He looked up. "I'll take care of him. Go ahead and go back to Axel."

Roxas nodded. "I'll see you at breakfast then. Make sure Zexion comes. He has to eat, especially for the baby's sake."

"Got it," Demyx responded.

Roxas smiled slightly and left.

------------------------------------

_Zexion silently followed his mate into the small room. They were silent—Zexion had no idea what to say to his doomed mate._

_"The baby isn't mine, is it?" Saix asked._

_"I don't know what you're talking about," Zexion instantly denied._

_"I'm not naïve," Saix said. "Dr. Vexen may be an idiot, but I'm not. The due date is off by an entire month. There's no way the baby is mine. Please, Zexion. Don't think of me as an idiot."_

_"I…honestly don't know for sure if you're the father," Zexion confessed. "But I don't think the baby is yours." He looked at his mate. "How long have you known?"_

_"From the beginning," Saix replied. "From the moment you told me you were carrying a child. I knew it wasn't mine. I don't know how I knew. I just did."_

_"So is that why you raped Roxas?" Zexion asked. "To get revenge on me?"_

_"If I wanted revenge, I would have told Xemnas about your little secret," Saix sneered._

_"Then why…?" Zexion asked._

_"I wanted to know what it felt like to have sex with someone other than my mate, so I chose Roxas," Saix answered._

_"Look where it got you," Zexion said._

_Saix grinned evilly. "It was so worth it to have someone besides you screaming in agony."_

_Zexion glared at his mate and he looked like he wanted to hit him so badly._

_"You fucking bastard!" he snarled. "You're a sick, twisted monster!" _

_Saix moved in closer to Zexion so they were only inches apart. "So are you."_

_Zexion's eyes widened._

_"No I'm not!" he hissed. "I am nothing like you!"_

_"Are you sure?" Saix asked._

_Zexion was silent. Saix was as well, but he seemed satisfied._

_"Saix…why didn't you tell Xemnas?" Zexion asked after a long silence._

_Saix frowned. "You were…so happy. Something I'd never seen before. I couldn't take that happiness away from you. I know I can't make you happy—it's not in my nature, but I know the father of your baby will."_

_"How do you know?" Zexion asked._

_"I just know," Saix answered. "I have good instincts."_

_Zexion started crying. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did."_

_Saix shrugged. "I shouldn't have either."_

_"It isn't fair," Zexion whispered. "You have to die and I get to live even though we did almost the same thing."_

_"There's one difference," Saix said patiently. Zexion looked at him curiously. "You had a choice. Roxas did not. I did not give Roxas a choice. I'm guessing your partner did?" Zexion nodded. "See?"_

_"But…" Zexion protested._

_Saix pressed his index finger to Zexion's lips. "It's not the same. One day you'll understand how. For now, just know that this is the way I want it to be, okay?" Zexion nodded. Saix withdrew his finger. "You've shown nothing but kindness to me. All I've done in return is hurt you. You deserve to be happy and you will be. Think of this as my way of saying thank you."_

_A guard knocked on the door and stuck his head in. "I'm afraid your time is up."_

_"Just give me a minute," Saix told him. He turned to Zexion, who had started crying softly again. "Can I kiss you one last time?"_

_"Yes." Zexion nodded, wiping his tears away._

_Saix slowly moved forward and gently pressed his lips to his mate's. Saix was surprisingly gentle, his lips barely caressing Zexion's. They broke apart and Saix went to the door where the guard was waiting for him. He stopped and turned around. Zexion was watching him through tear filled eyes._

_"Goodbye," Saix whispered._

_Then he was gone._

Panting, Zexion opened his eyes. The dormitory was dark and silent. Zexion let out a shaky breath. It had been weeks since it had happened and yet he could not erase the images from his memory. Saix's face haunted his dreams. It made him feel even more guilty.

"Why Saix?" he whispered, wiping more tears from his face. "Why did you do that?"

He would never know. He groaned softly and pushed himself up. It was still dark, so it wasn't time for them to get up yet. He did not know how much time he had left, but it didn't matter; he could not go back to sleep now. He got out of bed and grabbed a fresh set of clothes from his trunk. He slipped out of the dormitory. The guards looked at him as he passed.

"Is everything all right?" one of them asked.

"Yes," Zexion answered, stopping for a moment. "What time is it?"

"Nearly dawn," the same guard answered.

Zexion nodded. "I'm going to take a shower."

"All right. I'll escort you there." The guard turned to his companion. "Will you be all right by yourself?"

The guard nodded. I'll be fine. I'll call for backup."

The first guard nodded and turned to Zexion. The two of them silently walked to the Bearers' bathroom. The guard waited outside to give Zexion privacy. Zexion chose the first shower stall he came to and entered. He closed the door and stripped his clothes off. He turned on the shower and waited for it to get warm. Unconsciously, his hand moved to his abdomen. He felt his son lightly kicking him and smiled.

"Be patient my son," he said softly. "It's almost time."

He stepped into the shower and closed his eyes. He stood still for the longest time. Finally, he washed his body, running his fingers through his long dark silver hair, to try and get it untangled. He turned off the shower and stepped out. He dried himself off and dressed. Then, he went out to the main part of the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, he glanced at his reflection. He saw someone who looked like a stranger. He barely recognized himself. He was thin and worn. His eyes were slightly sunken and his cheekbones were narrower than he remembered. Pale skin reflected off the fluorescent lights. Everything about him was worn out, even his hair. He had let it grow out so it was now far past his shoulders.

Zexion shook his head. He ran his fingers through his hair again and started braiding it. He had a bit of cloth with him that he used to tie off the braid so it wouldn't come unraveled. He gathered his sleeping clothes and left the bathroom. The guard was waiting for him. Silently, the two of them made their way back to the dormitory. It was filled with activity now; the other Bearers were up and getting dressed. The overhead lights had been switched on so the room was flooded with light. On the other side of the glass, Zexion could see the Breeders also getting ready for the day, scarcely aware that they were another Breeder short. Zexion crossed the room, pushing the guilty feelings out of the way. He put his neatly folded sleeping clothes in his trunk and closed the lid. Demyx came over to him. He did a double-take.

"Zexion?" he gasped. "Holy crap, I barely recognized you!"

_I barely recognize myself._ Zexion thought grimly.

"I've never seen you braid your hair before," Demyx babbled.

"I decided to try something different," Zexion replied.

"Well it looks good."

"Thanks." Zexion fingered the braid.

One of the guards stuck his head into the dormitory, the same one who had escorted Zexion to the bathroom. "Hey, it's time for breakfast."

The Bearers filed out of the room and made the familiar trek to the cafeteria. They stood in line for their food. Breakfast today was scrambled eggs and toast. Zexion took his tray to the usual table in the corner, Demyx behind him. They were joined by Roxas who muttered something about oversleeping and stupid horny redheads. Breakfast was silent.

After it finally ended, they brought their trays to the garbage and headed to class. They sat in their usual seats in the back of the room. Just another day. Zexion realized as the teacher started class that it was his due date. He felt fine, though, well, except for a mild shooting pain in his back. He wondered if Dr. Vexen had been wrong yet again. The man was an idiot.

The pain started getting worse. It wasn't too bad for a while. Zexion barely noticed it. He had been having slight pains on and off for several months, which was normal, according to Dr. Vexen. It wasn't until the pain started getting more regular and moved to the front of his body that he realized he was in labor. He groaned as he felt a contraction and doubled over. The teacher stopped his lecture. Demyx put a hand on Zexion's back.

"Zex? What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"It…hurts," Zexion panted.

Demyx didn't understand but Roxas did. Sapphire eyes widened.

"Mr. Walker, Zexion is in labor," he said in a loud voice.

The other Bearers murmured in hushed voices. The Breeders all shifted in their seats. At once, Mr. Walker crossed the room and looked at Zexion.

"You're right," he said. He called to one to the guards. "Alert the Medical Facility! Hurry!"

The guard nodded and hurried off.

A wheelchair was brought for Zexion and he was rushed to the Medical Facility. His water broke halfway there. Roxas and Demyx went with him, although only Demyx was allowed to go back. Normally, only a Bearer's mate was allowed to be with him when he was giving birth, but since Saix was gone, Demyx was allowed to go back. Only one was allowed so Roxas told Demyx to go.

"He needs you right now," he said quietly.

Demyx nodded and followed Zexion into the back. Zexion changed into a cotton gown with help from a nurse and was put in a large open room. An IV was started in his arm. A nurse brought a chair so Demyx could sit. Demyx reached out for Zexion's hand and gently squeezed it.

"Here we go," he murmured.

Zexion smiled, but it was soon replaced with an expression of pain. He resisted the urge to scream as he felt a wave of pain. Demyx squeezed his hand and whispered softly to him. From time to time, Dr. Vexen came in to check on him.

"Hmm, you're progressing slowly," Dr. Vexen said with a frown.

"I can't…I can't breathe!" Zexion gasped.

Dr. Vexen placed a breathing mask over his face. He relaxed, finding it easier to breath. Demyx gently stroked his hair. Zexion tightly gripped his hand when he felt another contraction coming. He cried out and bit his lip. A rough iron taste filled his mouth. He realized that he had bit his lip so hard it was bleeding. Demyx grabbed a tissue and gently dabbed at the blood on Zexion's lips.

"Thank you." Zexion smiled weakly.

"Just hang in there, all right?" Demyx's hand curled around the bloody tissue. "I don't think I could bear it if I lost you."

Dr. Vexen came back into the room.

"How are you doing Zexion?" he asked.

Zexion could only groan softly. Dr. Vexen stepped forward, pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, and checked Zexion's progress.

He frowned. "You've barely made any progress."

"Is that bad?" Demyx asked.

"It is a concern, yes," Dr. Vexen answered, stripping off the gloves and disposing of them. "Excuse me a moment."

He hastily exited.

"Wonder what's up?" Demyx muttered.

Dr. Vexen was gone for a long time. When he finally returned, he still looked very concerned.

"Zexion," he said gravely. "I'm not sure if you know this, but The Institute is against using drugs unless deemed absolutely necessary." Zexion nodded. "Your labor has barely made any progress, which concerns me because it's normal for a labor to progress quickly after a…certain point. Yours has not. That is why I received permission from the Director to use a drug that I think will help the labor. All I require is your permission."

Zexion briefly glanced at Demyx before looking back at Dr. Vexen. He nodded.

"Very well," Dr. Vexen said.

He left and returned with a syringe with a needle attached to the end. Demyx's face turned several shades lighter at the sight.

"What are you so worried about?" Zexion's voice was muffled by the breathing mask. "It's not like the needle is going into you!"

"Actually," Dr. Vexen corrected. "The drug is injected into your IV back. It has to be given over a long period of time."

He pulled on a fresh pair of rubber gloves and injected something into Zexion's IV bag. Then, he took off the gloves and left with the empty syringe. Zexion felt another contraction and tightly grabbed Demyx's hand, crying out in pain. His breath clouded the inside of the breathing mask. Demyx gently stroked his forehead. He hated seeing Zexion in so much pain.

Zexion's labor finally made some real progress.

"You'll be ready to push soon," Dr. Vexen said with a smile.

"Oh thank god," Zexion breathed. "I am so fucking sick of being in pain."

"Too bad Dr. Vexen won't let you have any painkillers, huh?" Demyx murmured when the doctor was out of earshot.

"Fucking bastard," Zexion muttered.

"Jeez, you're vulgar. I must be rubbing off on you." Demyx smiled and pressed his lips to Zexion's forehead.

"Demyx don't," Zexion protested. "Someone could see."

"Don't worry." Demyx straightened up. "I won't let that happen."

Half an hour later, Dr. Vexen came back in and did another examination.

"Well Zexion, I believe you're finally ready to push. Let's get that kid out, huh?"

"Yeah," Zexion agreed. "It's about time."

Dr. Vexen couldn't suppress a smile. He gave instructions to a nurse who was standing by. Zexion was shifted into a sitting position, his legs spread.

"All right Zexion, start pushing," Dr. Vexen ordered.

Zexion heaved himself up and started pushing. He was met by a huge wave of pain and resisted the urge to scream. He clenched his teeth and focused. Dr. Vexen counted. He was allowed a quick break after Dr. Vexen reached ten and then started pushing again.

He groaned in pain and bit another urge to scream. He completely understood now why Roxas had screamed so much while giving birth. The pain was intense. He leaned against the pillows that had been placed behind him to help prop him up and tried to catch his breath. Even with the breathing mask over his nose and mouth, he still could barely breathe. Tears slid down his face, mingling with beads of sweat. Demyx quietly murmured encouraging words as he lifted his head and started pushing again. He finally gave into his urge and let out a low scream.

"Come on Zexion. Push!" Dr. Vexen encouraged.

Zexion pushed with all his might. Another scream left his lips. He couldn't take much more of this.

"Come on Zex. You're almost there," Demyx murmured.

Zexion screamed the loudest yet and let go.

"Zexion!" Demyx cried.

A hand gently shook his chest. His eyes fluttered open.

Demyx looked anxious. "No sleeping just yet, okay?"

"I'm so sleepy," Zexion mumbled.

"Give me one more big push Zexion, okay?" Dr. Vexen asked. "You're almost there."

"Hear that Zex?" Demyx asked. "Just one more big push. You think you can do it?"

"I…don't know," Zexion said uncertainly."

"Come on Zex," Demyx encouraged.

Zexion let out a shaky breath. "Okay. Help me, okay? I don't think I have the strength to sit up."

"All right." Demyx nodded.

He helped Zexion into a sitting position. Zexion took a deep breath and gathered what little strength he had left. He let go of that strength, pushing as hard as he could. Then, it was gone and he collapsed in Demyx's arms, his world fading to black.

-------------------

Slowly, the blackness faded into grey, and then into white. Zexion was aware of several things at once. Someone had shifted his position so he was laying down and he had been covered with a blanket. There was a shifting sound next to him.

"Zexion?" a voice asked softly.

Zexion forced his eyes all the way open. Demyx was staring anxiously at him.

"Demyx?" Zexion managed to get out. "The baby…"

"He's fine," Demyx said soothingly. "But…"

Zexion didn't like the way Demyx trailed off.

"What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.

Hold on. It's easier to show you rather than tell you."

Demyx walked away. Zexion frowned, not understanding. Demyx returned with a bundle. Zexion shifted into a sitting position. Demyx gently pressed the bundle in his arms.

"Look," he said softly.

Zexion shifted his attention to the bundle. Beneath the folds of a pale blue blanket was his son. Zexion sucked in his breath. Demyx's features were distinguishable in the baby's face. It was clear that Demyx was the father. Any hope of hiding the truth was shattered.

"Oh no," Zexion breathed.

"Dr. Vexen called Xemnas. He's on his way here," Demyx said grimly.

"Oh god." Zexion squeezed his eyes shut.

"Do you have a name for him?" Demyx asked, causing Zexion to open his eyes.

"Yes," Zexion answered. "Rian."

Demyx nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I like it."

The door opened. Both of them looked up, terrified. It was Roxas.

"They finally let me come back," he said. He saw their anxious faces and a worried frown crossed his face. "What's wrong?"

"Come and see," Demyx said softly.

Frowning even deeper, Roxas stepped forward. He looked down at Rian and a look of dawning comprehension came across his face.

"He looks like Demyx," he whispered.

"I know," Zexion whimpered. "Xemnas is on his way here. We're so dead. There's no way we can hide it."

"There must be something," Roxas said desperately.

Zexion shook his head.

The door burst open and Xemnas stormed in, an extremely nervous-looking Dr. Vexen behind him.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

The room was silent.

"W…well sir, i…if you look at the baby, you'll see the problem," Dr. Vexen said, nervously wringing his hands together.

Xemnas stepped forward. Zexion instinctively moved Rian closer to his chest.

"Let me see," Xemnas commanded. Zexion hesitated. "Zexion." Xemnas's tone was stern.

Zexion reluctantly moved so Xemnas could see Rian clearly. The director's eyes widened and his gaze moved from the baby to Demyx, then back to Rian.

"What the hell is this?" he asked roughly. No one answered. "Why does the baby look like Demyx and not Saix? I demand an explanation!"

Zexion and Demyx remained silent.

Xemnas turned to Dr. Vexen. "Fetch the guards."

"Yes sir." Dr. Vexen nodded.

He hurried out and returned with several guards.

"Orders sir?" one of them asked.

"Detain the blond." Xemnas pointed to Demyx.

The guard stepped forward and handcuffed Demyx. He was led out without any resistance. Xemnas and Dr. Vexen followed. Zexion started crying.

"Demyx! Bring Demyx back! Demyx!!" he screamed.

Roxas just stood there, petrified. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. Zexion's sobs increased.

"DEMYX!!"

To be continued…

Notes: holy crap, this chapter was hard to write. It kept stalling at the beginning. When I started writing the chapter, the outline I made only went up to Rian's birth so I had no idea what was going to happen after that. That's why I took some time out to finish the outline. In case you didn't hear, there will be 33 chapters. And darn it I am going to stick to that.

I'm also going to push to reach at least 100,000 words. I'm not going to force it, but I somehow get the feeling that it's not going to be a problem.

Rian is pronounced Ree-an and it means "little king" in Gaelic.

Found a couple more songs for characters:

Zexion: Away From Me-Evanescence

Demyx: Stand by Your Side-Celine Dion


	24. Chapter 24

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy nor am I making any money by writing this. I do own the original characters. End of story.

-------------------------------

_Bryan kept glancing at me with really weird looks as we finished gathering wood. He looked like he wanted to kiss me so badly. Finally, I lost my patience._

_"Bryan, if you're gonna kiss me, then just do it already!" I said. _

_Bryan's expression was dark. "Who said I wanted to just kiss you?"_

_"Who said I objected to doing more than that?" I shot back._

_Bryan dropped the bundle of wood he was carrying and walked over to me. We got really close. He hesitated and then pressed his lips to mine. I dropped the wood I was carrying, though it wasn't out of surprise. I knew what was coming and the wood was getting in the way. We stepped away from the piles of wood, heading for a more private place._

-----------------------------------

Chapter 24

As Demyx was led away, the Breeders saw. They started getting restless, muttering among themselves. The guards shifted warily, ready for almost anything. Demyx was led into Xemnas's office and stood handcuffed in front of Xemnas's desk. The director sat down and looked up at Demyx.

"Now Demyx, do you know what's going on?" he asked.

Demyx remained silent.

"Answer me!" Xemnas shouted, slamming his hand on the desk.

Demyx flinched.

He took a deep breath. "Yes, I know what's going on." He was amazed at how calm he sounded.

"Tell me what's going on!" Xemnas demanded.

"No."

"I order you to tell me."

"No."

Xemnas rose and stalked over to where Demyx stood. There was a pause and then Xemnas slapped him.

"Tell me!"

"No." Demyx felt his heart racing, but he kept his face calm.

He knew he had to be strong and mature. Zexion and Rian were counting on him. He was a father now. It was his responsibility to take care of his child as well as his lover. He had the power to protect them and he would.

Xemnas raised his hand again threateningly. "Tell me what is going on."

"No." Demyx shook his head.

Demyx's head twisted around as he felt Xemnas's hand connect to his cheek.

"Sir," one of the guards spoke up bravely. "It isn't wise for you to strike Demyx. Remember what he is."

Xemnas looked at the guard intently He lowered his hand.

"Yes, you're right Adrian. Thank you." Xemnas turned to Demyx. "Forgive me Demyx."

He returned to his seat.

"Sir why…?" Demyx left the question hanging, but Xemnas still seemed to understand. "The Council frowns on violence, especially to Bearers. However, you are something a little different."

"Different?" Demyx frowned. "What do you mean? I thought I was a Bearer."

"Well yes…and no."

"I don't understand!"

"I will explain, Demyx, because it's important for you to know. Do you understand the story of Hayden and Harou?"

Demyx nodded. "They were the twins who repopulated the world. Both of them were able to have kids, right? But only Harou had the kids."

"Yes." Xemnas nodded. "From what we understand, Hayden and Harou were created with both sets of reproductive organs so the world could be repopulated. They were not aware of this, but the scientists hoped that the ability to bear children would be passed on to at least some of their male offspring because it would be easier if both genders could have children. They were lucky that this trait got passed on, as is evident with Jayden. Could you imagine if only females were able to have children? It would take thousands of years to repopulate."

"Okay…" Demyx muttered.

"Genetics is a tricky subject," Xemnas continued. "It's very hard to explain. Hayden was more aggressive and Harou was more passive. The aggressive trait is dominant and the passive trait is recessive, so the aggressive trait will occur more than the passive one. That's why there are more Breeders than Bearers, because the passive trait goes along with the ability to bear children. We are not entirely sure why. It could be a survival thing. The unborn child will be more likely to survive in a passive person."

"But what does that have to do with me?" Demyx asked angrily.

"I'm getting there. Sometimes, as is the case with you Demyx, the traits are equally present, they become mixed, so to speak, which results most often in a Bearer who is more aggressive than usual. We call these people "Mixed" although it's not a widely used term at this point. This is why I am asking: did you pursue Zexion in a sexual manner?"

"I'm not saying a word Xemnas. Sorry." Demyx shook his head.

Xemnas scowled. "You will tell me."

"Or what?" Demyx challenged. "What are you going to do to me?"

"You will tell me!" Xemnas barked. Demyx remained silent. Xemnas turned to the guards. "Take him to confinement. He is to remain there until he is ready to cooperate."

"Yes sir." One of the guards nodded.

Demyx was led to the door. All of a sudden, he stopped.

"Sir, tell me one thing. Going along with the mixed gene thing, can a Breeder be more passive than usual?" he said.

"Yes," Xemnas answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Sora is one of those isn't he?" Demyx asked.

"Yes. Sora is Mixed like you are." Xemnas nodded.

"That's all I wanted to know." Demyx started walking again, never losing his cool exterior.

----------------------------------------------

The air of The Institute was thick with tension. Word had spread fast about what had happened and it was all anyone could talk about. Roxas heard snippets of conversation as he went from the Medical Facility back to his apartment. All they talked about was Zexion and Demyx.

Sighing softly, Roxas opened the door to his apartment. Unsurprisingly, Axel was waiting for him. He closed the door behind him and walked over to where his mate was waiting. Their lips came together for a brief kiss.

"I heard about what happened. News travels fast around here," Axel said, wrapping his arms around his mate. He looked intently at Roxas. "You are Zexion and Demyx's best friend. I know you know what's really going on. Please tell me."

Roxas shook his head. "I can't. I'm sorry."

"I know," Axel persisted. "I know the child is Demyx's. I knew even before it was born." Roxas stared at him. "Zexion was infertile with Saix for so long and then all of a sudden, he got pregnant. It could have been a stroke of luck, or fate, or something, but I think it was because Zexion slept with someone else. I think it was Demyx. No, actually, I'm very sure it was Demyx. It isn't because the baby looks like Demyx. I've seen the way he acts around Zexion and how Zexion acts around him. The two of them are inseparable. I am not condemning their actions. I just want the truth."

"Yes," Roxas confirmed. "Zexion and Demyx had sex." It was Axel's turn to stare. "I know what Demyx and Zexion did was wrong, but I can't condemn them. They love each other for who they are, not because it's their duty to love each other.

"So you think a relationship should be based off love?" Axel asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered. "I understand why Xemnas arranges the relationships. He think it's what's best for us. I can't disagree with that, but I think it doesn't work in every case. Zexion and Saix are a great example of that. Their relationship didn't work out and it wasn't just because they had with someone other than their mate. They didn't get along at all."

"What do you mean?" Axel's expression was quizzical.

"Well…" Roxas let out a long breath. Saix only cared about the sex. He didn't care for his mate at all."

"I was the same way with you," Axel pointed out.

"Yes," Roxas agreed unflinchingly. "However, you were gentle with me when we had sex. Saix was not. He didn't even care that he was hurting Zexion. Zexion could barely walk on his own after they finished having sex and Saix didn't even care!" Roxas choked back a sob. He paused, breathing heavily. After a while, he was able to continue again. "There are some arranged relationships that work out, like you and me. We learned to love each other despite our differences."

"Yes, you're right," Axel said softly. "Despite the fact that I was a complete ass to you."

"Yeah, but you turned out okay in the end." Roxas smiled and leaned against Axel.

They remained that way for a long time, silent.

"Things don't look good for Zexion and Demyx based on the reaction of the Council so far," Axel said.

"Yeah," Roxas agreed. "Even if they are both Bearers." He sighed softly. "I want to help Zexion and Demyx. They're like my brothers."

"I do too," Axel murmured. "I know how much they mean to you. We'll find a way somehow."

"I hope so," Roxas whispered.

To be continued…

Notes: Wow, Demyx is acting really mature. He's really come a long way. I love it when characters do that. I like characters who change. It makes things more interesting.

So Demyx's personality is finally explained. I had this planned for a very long time, though not from the very beginning. I knew very little about this when I started out to be honest. As the chapters progressed and Demyx developed as a character, I realized that he was more aggressive than regular Bearers and that there was a good reason for it. It made sense that sometimes, the genes could get mixed, causing what we called a "Mixed", as Xemnas points out. They are very rare, in fact. Very rare. At the moment, Demyx and Sora are the only Mixed.

Wow, a lot of people were upset with what happened with Demyx. Yeesh. I'm sorry I didn't really respond to a lot of the reviews, but uh…yeah. –firmly zips lips- I've said too much already.

I'm sorry for the short chapter. It's going to be like this; some chapters are going to be very long (like the previous chapter) and others are going to be very short (like this chapter). Maybe some will be in the middle. Not entirely sure yet. Wow, the chapter didn't really go anywhere did it? I hate it when that happens.

Edit: Thanks to capeircorn for pointing out my really big error. I'm so sorry for that. SO stupid of me! I've been really distracted today because I have a Russian final at 4 so I wasn't thinking quite clearly I guess. SO sorry!!! -bangs head against wall-


	25. Chapter 25

_We barely made it into the forest in time. Bryan pressed me against a tree, our lips suctioned together. I no longer cared; I wanted him as much as he wanted me. Bryan growled lustfully and dragged me along deeper into the forest. He and I had explored every inch of the forest when we were kids, without our parents ever knowing. There was a small clearing tucked away in the forest that we had spent hours playing in without ever being found. _

_-----------------------------_

Chapter 25

Several days later, Zexion was released from the Medical Facility with Rian. He was escorted back to the dormitory, which seemed even emptier than usual with Demyx gone. According to the Bearer named Luxord, Demyx was still in confinement because he was refusing to answer Xemnas's questions. Other than Luxord answering Zexion's question, the rest of the Bearers ignored Zexion, treating him as though he didn't exist. Zexion sighed softly and sat on his bed, Rian in his carrier next to him.

A guard entered the room. "Breakfast time." He looked at Zexion. "You as well. You've been ordered to go to breakfast with the others like normal and after breakfast, you're to report to Xemnas's office."

Normally, Bearers who had just given birth were separated from the others for the first four months following the birth.

_Obviously, I'm not afforded the same luxury seeing as I broke The Institute's most sacred rule_. Zexion thought bitterly.

He rose, took the handle of Rian's carrier, and followed the other Bearers to the cafeteria. Roxas looked incredibly surprised to see Zexion there.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Aren't you supposed to be staying in the dormitories?"

"Obviously those who break the rules aren't afforded the same luxuries as the rest of the population." Zexion laughed bitterly. "Roxas honey, the only reason I'm not in confinement is because I just gave birth. They were kind enough to take that into consideration at least."

"I'll go and get us some food," Roxas said. "Go have a seat."

"All right." Zexion nodded.

He took Rian to their usual table and sat down. It was so lonely without Demyx there. He blinked back tears. This was all his fault. Demyx was in confinement because of him.

Roxas came over sometime later and put two trays on the table. Zexion didn't feel particularly hungry. Roxas sat down and started on his own breakfast. Zexion picked at his food for a while before finally taking a couple bites. He had to keep his strength up or else he wouldn't be able to nurse Rian. He forced himself to eat and didn't stop until his plate was empty. Roxas looked pleased that Zexion had eaten everything off his plate as he took his and Zexion's trays away. Zexion got up and grabbed Rian's carrier. Roxas walked back over to him.

"I'm going with you," he said softly. Zexion looked at him questioningly. "Xemnas called Axel and me to his office too."

"Oh," Zexion replied faintly. He didn't want Roxas and Axel to get punished for his mistake.

His apprehension must have been apparent because Roxas smiled.

"Don't worry Zexion. Axel and I aren't afraid of getting in trouble for your sake. Both of us agreed that we're going to stand by your side no matter what."

"Roxas…" Zexion murmured, his eyes filling with tears yet again.

He had been so weepy lately. He blamed hormones. A wailing sound brought him out of his thoughts. Rian had woken up and was very fussy.

"It sounds like he's hungry," Roxas smiled.

"Yes," Zexion agreed. "Let's go back to the dormitory so I can nurse him."

"They didn't give you a room where you can nurse Rian privately?" Roxas asked.

"No." Zexion shook his head.

"That's not right," Roxas murmured.

"I know honey, but there's nothing we can do about it." Zexion's voice was sad. "Come on, let's go."

They walked back to the dormitory. Zexion sat down on the edge of his bed and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Roxas, can you get Rian for me?" he asked.

"Sure thing." Roxas nodded.

He reached down and expertly picked the fussing Rian up. He waited until Zexion had opened his shirt before handing him over. Zexion gently pressed Rian to his breast and helped him start suckling. Zexion took a deep breath and tried to relax.

"You're doing great," Roxas said soothingly.

"It's a bit weird," Zexion admitted. "This whole nursing thing."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed. "You'll get the hang of it after a while."

"I hope so," Zexion murmured.

He and Roxas were silent until Rian had finished nursing. Zexion burped him and then handed him over to Roxas while he buttoned up his shirt.

"Can you put him in his carrier for me please?" Zexion asked.

"Yes of course," Roxas answered.

"Thank you." Zexion sounded extremely worn out.

"It's no problem." Roxas smiled.

He gently placed Rian is carrier. Zexion stood up without hitting his head on the other bunk and picked up the carrier. Silently, he and Roxas left the dormitory. There were guards waiting outside for them.

"We're going to escort you to the Director's office," one of them said.

"Okay." Roxas nodded. "We're coming."

He and Zexion stuck close together as they went to Xemnas's office. Demyx was already there, handcuffed, along with Axel. Roxas immediately moved to his mate's side while Zexion hurried to Demyx's side.

"Are you all right?" Zexion asked, his cerulean eyes filled with worry.

Demyx gave him a tired smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

Xemnas cleared his throat from his desk. "I am sure you're all aware of why you're here. I have called all of you here today because there's a little…scandal going on. I know you know the truth of what's going on. The baby…" he gestured to Rian's carrier "…looks just like Demyx and nothing like Zexion's mate, his former mate that is. I know the reason. I am not an idiot. The baby had to have been fathered by Demyx. There's no point in hiding this fact. I already know,. What I don't know is why this occurred. That is why I have called all of you here today. Although Zexion and Demyx were the ones who were directly involved in this matter, you are their best friend, Roxas, and I know they would confide in you. So tell me, Roxas. Is this true?"

Roxas stood, refusing to say a word. "Why do you hold your tongue, Roxas? Come on, it's all right. You don't have to be afraid." Roxas refused to say a word. :You know that if you refuse to speak, you'll be punished, right?"

"I know," Roxas finally said.

"Then why stay silent?" Xemnas asked. "Why are you willing to get in trouble for them?"

"They are my friends," Roxas answered.

"So you do know something?" Xemnas asked.

"I'm not saying a word." Roxas's voice was extremely calm.

Xemnas turned to Axel. "What about you? What do you know?"

"I am not saying anything either," Axel answered.

"So you know?"

"Even if I know, I'm not about to tell you."

Xemnas scowled and rose. "I am ordering you to tell me! I am not giving you any choice in the matter. Tell me or else you will be severely punished."

None of them spoke a word. Rian started fussing. Zexion bent over and picked him up. He tried to quiet him down. After a few moments, Rian was calm again.

"This is your last chance," Xemnas warned. "Speak or else you'll be severely punished."

They remained stubbornly silent.

Xemnas turned to the guards in the room. "Take them to confinement. Take the kid away too."

The guards nodded and moved forward. Demyx was led to the door. About ten guards tried to force Axel and Roxas apart with limited success. Another guard stepped forward and reached for Rian. Zexion resisted.

"Come on. Please. I won't hurt him," the guard said softly.

Zexion shook his head. "Leave me alone! Don't take him away from me! I'm begging you!"

The guard looked pained. "I'm sorry."

He forced Rian out of Zexion's arms.

"Rian! Give him back! Give my son back to me!" Zexion screamed.

At the sound of Zexion's agonized cry, Demyx's head shot up. His face twisted into a scowl and before anyone knew what was going on, Demyx had knocked the guards surrounding him to the ground and lunged forward, determined to get at Xemnas. What he'd be able to do was unclear because he was still handcuffed, but Xemnas must have felt he was a credible threat because he pulled a gun out from within his desk.

Demyx didn't stop. Xemnas pointed the gun at him and pulled the trigger. Demyx groaned and crashed to the ground. Roxas and Zexion screamed at the same time. Axel just stared. Demyx lay motionless on the ground, a small pool of blood building around his body. Everyone was still, even the guards.

"What have you done?" the guard holding Rian breathed.

"He's not dead," Xemnas said in a detached voice. "I made sure to miss his vital organs. But at any rate, take him to the Medical Facility."

Demyx was rushed out of the room, Xemnas following close behind. The guards were left with Zexion, Roxas, and Axel.

Axel had broken away from the guards who had been trying to restrain him and now stood protectively in front of his mate, his expression terrifying. The guards decided that they really didn't want to mess with him at the moment. It wasn't a hard decision to come to.

Even in a good mood, Axel was a force to be reckoned with. The guards had worked with him before. They knew what he was capable of, especially when angered. And now that he had Roxas, he was even more protective and was angered much easier.

Axel ignored the guards and turned to Roxas.

"Are you all right?" he asked in an anxious voice.

"I'm fine," Roxas answered. "I'm more worried about Zexion right now."

He glanced over at Zexion who stood a fair distance away, sobbing.

Roxas turned to the guards. "Give him his son back."

The guard holding Rian hesitated slightly.

"For god's sake, just give the kid back!" another guard snapped.

The guard holding Rian nodded and gently pressed the baby back into Zexion's arms.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Zexion fell to his knees after his son was safely back in his arms, weeping quietly. After a while, he managed to get himself together and got to his feet. Rian was crying.

"Shh Rian," Zexion murmured, gently rocking the baby. After a while, Rian fell asleep.

"What now?" Roxas asked, worried.

"Go," the guard said softly. "Leave."

"What if Xemnas starts asking questions?" Axel asked.

The guard gave him a crooked smile. "We don't know a thing. You knocked us out and disappeared on your own."

"I see…" Axel murmured. He thought for a moment. "So you aren't loyal to Xemnas?"

"Shh," the guard warned. "You don't know anything and we don't know anything, right?"

Axel seemed to catch on. "Right."

The guard hastily looked around the room before stepping forward.

"Look, some of us guards have seen the things Xemnas has done and we aren't happy about it," he said in a low voice. "The truth is, Xemnas's grip is starting to get weaker. The Breeders are getting harder and harder to control. He thinks he's able to control them, but he can't. There's no way in hell all of them can be controlled. One of these days, they're going to completely snap and things will go to hell. The Institute isn't going to last much longer. I suggest you start looking for a way out of here so you don't get caught in all of this. It's going to turn real ugly."

"How long do you think we have?" Axel asked.

"It's hard to say. This new incident won't sit well with them. I can tell you already that they will not be happy to learn about what happened to Demyx. Honestly, they don't care about the whole mate thing. They don't care who they have sex with as long as they get it. And most of them don't. So they don't care as much as the Bearers do about Zexion and Demyx sleeping together. As soon as word gets out that Xemnas shot Demyx without any remorse, they'll be hunting for blood. It's hard to say how long it'll take them to snap. It could be days, maybe a couple weeks if we get lucky, but I seriously doubt it."

Axel nodded. "Thank you."

"I don't know anything, remember?" the guard smiled. "Now get your asses out of here before Xemnas comes back."

Axel nodded and turned to Roxas. "Come on. Let's go." He looked over at Zexion. "You too."

Zexion nodded weakly and followed Roxas and Axel out of Xemnas's office. They went to the Bearers' dormitory.

"I'll be back," Roxas murmured to Axel, who was forced to wait outside.

Axel nodded and gave Roxas a quick kiss on the lips. Roxas turned and walked into the dormitory with Zexion. The other Bearers were there, although they didn't looked pleased to see Zexion there.

"Slut," some of them whispered as Zexion passed.

"This is all his fault. If he'd kept his legs closed…"

It was loud enough for them to hear, which was the point. Zexion felt more tears in his eyes. Roxas turned around.

"Shut the fuck up and leave him the fuck alone, will you?" he growled. The other Bearers looked at each other in surprise. "You don't understand anything, do you? Zexion and Demyx loved each other. They. Loved. Each. Other. It doesn't matter that they weren't mates. That's not important at all. Why can't you guys see that it's more about following orders and loving whomever you're told to?"

"I'm surprised," a Bearer named Karayan said.

"Why's that?" Roxas asked coldly.

"I'm just surprised that you would stand up for someone like him," Karayan sneered. "A slut."

Roxas glared at him. "I stand up for Zexion because he is like my brother. I would never betray him."

"That makes you weak."

"Fuck you," Roxas growled.

"I'm sure you'd love to try," Karayan said coldly.

Roxas made a rude gesture that involved the use of his middle finger. He didn't wait for a response from Karayan. He turned around and led Zexion to his bunk.

"Here, give Rian to me and I'll put him in his bed, okay?" he said softly.

Zexion nodded and handed Rian over to Roxas. Roxas forced him to lay down in his bunk. Zexion watched as Roxas gently tucked Rian into his crib and then came back to his bunk.

"Can you…stay for a while?" Zexion asked faintly.

"Of course Zexion." Roxas smiled and took a seat by Zexion's side.

Roxas reached out and started gently stroking the older boy's hair. He continued doing this until the dark-haired boy was asleep. He stood up and covered Zexion with a blanket.

"I'll be back later," he said softly.

He crossed the dormitory, glaring at the other Bearers as he went. Outside the dormitory, Axel was waiting for him.

"How is Zexion doing?" he inquired.

Roxas sighed softly. "He's suffering badly from this."

"Then we have to hurry," Axel murmured.

"Yes," Roxas agreed. "But what can we do?"

"It's like that guard said," Axel replied. "We have to get out."

"But how?" Roxas asked.

Axel frowned. "I'm not really sure. I'm going to talk to Riku and see what he thinks."

"All right, but I'm coming with you."

"It's going to be dangerous," Axel warned. "The Breeders can't be completely controlled and there's no telling what may happen when you go in there."

"I'm not afraid," Roxas whispered.

"All right. Let's go then." Axel smiled.

They headed for the Breeders' dormitory.

To be continued…

Notes: -face goes dramatically pale- Um…don't kill me? Please? –runs and locks self in reinforced steel bunker-

Roxas: Hi there. The author asked me to do this and gave me her notes before running off to barricade herself in her bunker. She says…it was necessary for Demyx to get shot.

Demyx: Oh thanks.

Roxas: -glares- You are supposed to be injured. Go away.

Demyx: -grumbles under breath and leaves-

Roxas: Anyway, Demyx had to get short or else things couldn't go the way she planned. She being the author of course. It was an important plot mover. She can't spoil the plot, but there is a reason. So trust her, okay? And…don't kill me.

Zexion: Roxas honey, why would they kill you?

Roxas: Haven't you ever heard the phrase "shoot the messenger" or something like that?

Zexion: It rings a bell.

Roxas: That's what worries me.

Zexion: Don't worry. The readers are more mature than that…I hope.

Roxas: That isn't very reassuring. –under breath- I should have made the author let me do the review replies instead of Axel and Riku.

Zexion: She did it again. She uploaded the wrong version. She sends her apologizes. And she's continuing to have issues. Her head is obviously elsewhere right now. It comes with the whole end-of-the-year business. She says she's really sorry. And she says thank you to **my friend** for pointing out her errors. They've been corrected.

Me (from bunker): I have no idea how that last one happened! I swear!


	26. Chapter 26

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy VII. If I did, things would have been a lot different. Like Axel and Roxas would have gotten together. Same with Demyx and Zexion. Some members of the Organization wouldn't have died. And some other characters might have kicked the bucket in their place. So…yeah. I don't own them. And I'm not making money either.

---------------------------------------

_Bryan brought me into the clearing. As always, it was empty._

"_We can lay here," he murmured._

_We lay side by side, our fingers entwined. Finally, Bryan leaned over and kissed me._

"_Don't hold back. Please," I whispered._

"_Jayden, I…you have no idea how I'm feeling right now." Bryan brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "I want you…so bad. I don't know if I can control myself. I've never felt this way before around you. You're just so…tantalizing."_

"_Then don't hold back," I said softly."I'm not afraid, Bryan. I want to."_

"_Okay."_

------------------------------------

Chapter 26

Roxas stuck close to Axel as they entered the Breeders' dormitory. The Breeders stared as they passed, though none of them said a word. Axel took Roxas by the hand, pressing his lips together in a frown. He tugged Roxas through the dormitory.

They found Riku with Xaldin and Sora in their usual corner. They looked surprised to see Roxas and Axel there.

"We need to talk to Riku privately," Axel said, his eyes darting from Riku to Sora, and then to Xaldin.

"All right." Riku rose and followed them out of the dormitory without asking any questions.

The guards didn't even glance at them as they passed. Riku raised his eyebrows questioningly but didn't ask. They found an empty classroom and made themselves comfortable on top of the desks.

"So what's going on?" Riku asked.

"Have you heard much about what has been going on with Zexion and Demyx?" Axel asked.

"Only bits and pieces," Riku answered carefully. "I don't trust what I hear from gossip. I prefer to hear the entire story first." He gave Axel a meaningful look.

Axel turned to Roxas. "I believe you are better suited to tell this story. You know Zexion and Demyx a lot better than I do."

Roxas nodded and looked at Riku. "I don't know how long Demyx and Zexion's relationship has been going on for. They were here longer than I was. I don't think they had sex other than that one time. They tried really hard to keep it a secret. Then Zexion got pregnant. That's when they told me. I understand that they wanted to keep a secret so they didn't tell me until Zexion was pregnant. I don't resent them for not telling me. Anyway, while we were waiting for Zexion to finish seeing Dr. Vexen, Demyx told me that there was a possibility that he had gotten Zexion pregnant. He was a nervous wreck. I've never seen him so shaken before."

"I can imagine," Riku muttered.

"Then we found out that Zexion was pregnant," Roxas continued as though there had been no interruption. "There was no way to tell if the baby was Demyx's or not. We decided that we had to keep it a secret no matter what. Then Saix…" Roxas's throat constricted.

"Yeah," Riku said darkly.

"Anyway, despite the stress of dealing with what Saix did, things were going okay. Zexion seemed happy that he was finally going to have a baby and then Rian was born."

"He looked like Demyx and not Saix," Riku filled in. "So Xemnas got upset."

"Yes," Roxas replied. "Demyx was put in confinement because he refused to answer Xemnas's questions."

"Why?" Riku interrupted. "Why didn't Demyx want to answer Xemnas's questions?"

"I don't know." Roxas shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe he wanted to protect Zexion. I really can't say."

"But Xemnas already knew, didn't he?" Riku asked. "So that doesn't make sense."

"Then I don't know." Roxas frowned as well.

"So then what happened?" Riku asked.

"I went back to the apartment and talked to Axel. Several days later, Zexion was released from the Medical Facility. We had breakfast together and then we went to talk to Xemnas. He tried to get us to talk about what happened. We wouldn't talk so he tried to separate us and put us in confinement. Demyx went nuts. He was going to attack Xemnas and Xemnas shot him. Demyx was rushed to the Medical Facility and Xemnas went with him."

"So how did you get out?" Riku asked.

"The guards," Roxas answered. "They let us go."

"Just like that?" Riku asked incredulously. "There wasn't a catch?"

"Catch?" Roxas blinked confusedly. "Why would there be a catch?"

"They could be tricking you."

"There isn't any sort of a trick." Axel shook his head. "Riku, they hate Xemnas as much as we do. I can just tell, okay? Trust me."

"Okay." Riku sighed softly. He frowned. "What do you plan to do?"

"We're not really sure," Axel replied truthfully. "We were thinking about getting out, but we don't really know how."

"I agree that it's a good idea to get out of here," Riku said slowly. "The Institute is obviously stressing Zexion out and if it keeps up, he'll get sick. If we aren't careful, he could die. Not to mention they're going to take Rian away."

"I never want that to happen ever again," Roxas muttered.

"We have to come up with a plan fast," Riku said. "The other Breeders are getting out of hand. They won't be controlled for much longer."

"We need to get Demyx out too," Roxas said.

"We don't even know if he's going to live or not," Axel murmured.

"We should find out then," Roxas said. "I just don't know how."

"How about we sneak in then?" Riku suggested. "I know a way to get in undetected, but there's a risk we'll be discovered."

"I don't care," Roxas said.

"All right. Follow me then."

Riku led them out of the empty classroom and through several back hallways.

"How do you know these hallways even exist?" Roxas asked in amazement.

"Axel and I went wandering around quite a bit when we were first brought here. We managed to find a way to evade the guards and explored a lot of The Institute."

Roxas looked at Axel. "You never mentioned that."

Axel shrugged. "It never came up."

"We need to be quiet." Riku pressed his index finger to his lips.

Axel and Roxas fell silent. Finally, Riku stopped and pushed a door open. They were in a long whitewashed hallway.

"Wait here," Riku said softly. "I'll be right back. I just want to make sure it's clear. There's no sense in all of us getting caught."

Roxas and Axel nodded at the same time. Riku silently slid down the hallway. After a few minutes, he was back.

"This way. It's not far to Demyx's room," he said.

He expertly led them down the hallway. Then, he stopped.

"Hang on," he ordered. He opened a door and stuck his head in. "All right. It's clear."

They entered. It was a small hospital room with little in it besides a bed and some medical equipment. Roxas was the first to step toward the bed. He looked down at the bed's occupant and flinched.

"Oh Demyx," he breathed.

Demyx was awake, but barely. His chest had been bandaged and the bandages were stained with crimson. A plastic breathing mask covered his nose and mouth. An IV had been stuck into his arm, a liquid slowly dripping into his body. A container of blood hung suspended, attached to the IV stand, supplying him with fresh blood.

Although Demyx was barely conscious, he still managed to smile weakly.

"Hey Roxas," he croaked.

"Hi," Roxas managed to reply.

Demyx's breaths came in uneven gasps. "I…I think I'm dying."

"You shouldn't think like that," Roxas murmured.

"I know I'm dying. I can feel it," Demyx replied.

Roxas's eyes filled with more tears. Suddenly, Zexion appeared with Rian in his carrier. Roxas looked at him curiously.

"Riku came and got me," Zexion explained.

Roxas threw a quick glance over at Riku, who was standing back with Axel. He hadn't even realized the silver-haired boy had left. His attention returned to Zexion, who stepped forward.

Demyx smiled weakly when he saw Zexion. "Hi Zex. I'm glad you came."

"There's no way I couldn't come." Zexion's eyes filled with tears.

Riku appeared out of nowhere with a chair.

"Have a seat," he said, putting the chair by Demyx's side.

Axel also appeared out of nowhere carrying a chair for Roxas. The two Bearers sat.

Demyx smiled slightly. "I'm so fucking lucky, you know. I've got my two best friends by my side when I die."

More tears filled Zexion's eyes.

"There will be no crying, all right?" Demyx's tone was stern. "You have to be strong, all right Zex? You've gotta be strong for our son."

"All right." Zexion nodded and wiped away his tears.

He took Demyx's hand and gently held it. Roxas positioned himself at Demyx's head. Riku and Axel hovered in the background, unsure of what they were supposed to be doing.

"I'm so glad…I got a chance to say goodbye," Demyx whispered.

"I don't want you to go," Zexion whispered. "I love you."

"I do too." Demyx's voice was barely above a whisper.

They were silent after that. Zexion just held Demyx's hand, waiting for the end. Demyx's heartbeat got weaker and weaker. Then, it was gone. Zexion started sobbing quietly and kissed the back of Demyx's hand. He let go of it, gently placing it by his side. Roxas began weeping quietly as well. Axel rested his hand on Roxas's shoulder, his eyes clouded with pain.

"I'm so sorry Roxas," he whispered.

Roxas stifled a sob. Zexion buried his face in his hands, his sobbing growing louder.

"Oh god Demyx. It's all my fault!" he cried. "You're dead because of me! Please forgive me!"

Zexion doubled over. Roxas gave a soft shriek and pressed his hands to his mouth to stifle it. Axel tightened his grip on Roxas's shoulder.

He looked at Riku. "Take care of Zexion. I'll take care of Roxas."

"What am I supposed to do?" Riku looked incredibly perplexed. "I'm not good with this sort of thing."

"Neither am I." Axel shrugged. "Just do the best you can." He turned his attention to Roxas again. "Roxas?" Roxas didn't answer. "Roxas, come on. We have to get out of here." There was still no response.

Axel sighed softly and tried again. "Roxas, please. We need to get out of here. I know you're upset about what happened and I don't blame you at all. I know what Demyx meant to you. I'm not saying you should totally forget about him, but there'll be a time later when you and Zexion can grieve, okay?"

There was still no response from Roxas. Riku was having the same sort of luck with Zexion.

"What do we do?" Riku asked, turning to Axel.

"We resort to carrying them out of here," Axel responded grimly.

Riku sighed softly. "I was afraid of that."

"Do you think you can manage both Zexion and the baby?" Axel asked.

Riku briefly glanced at both Zexion and Rian. "I'll manage just fine."

"All right." Axel shrugged.

He moved around to the side of the chair Roxas was sitting in and bodily lifted him up. The blond blinked in surprise.

"Relax Roxas," Axel said softly. "It's all right. I'm just gonna carry you out, okay?"

Roxas nodded and wrapped his arms around Axel's neck.

"How are you doing Riku?" Axel asked, turning to his friend.

"I'm doing okay," Riku answered, shifting Zexion in his arms a little. "Although I'm not sure I'll be able to carry both him and the baby like I thought."

"How do you think…"

"What on earth is going on here?" a voice interrupted. "It was Dr. Vexen, standing in the doorway with a nurse. "What are you doing in here? Demyx is not allowed any visitors at this time."

"Demyx is dead," Zexion said in a flat tone.

"What?" Dr. Vexen asked, staring at him.

"If you weren't such a fucking idiot, you would have realized that he is fucking dead!"

"How dare you!" Dr. Vexen growled.

"Riku, put me down," Zexion commanded.

"Zexion, I don't think now's the best time…" Riku protested.

"Just put me down!" Zexion snapped. His tone softened. "Please."

Riku set him down. He held onto Zexion's arms to make sure he was steady. Zexion pushed himself away from Riku's grasp and walked forward. He stared at Dr. Vexen.

"Demyx died," he said without a trace of fear. "I can't say for sure, but I think he was in a lot of pain when he died."

"Why did you come?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Demyx was everything to me. Riku came to get me. He woke me up and told me that Demyx was…dying." Zexion's voice waivered. "I got up right away and came here. I was with him when he died, because I didn't want him to die all by himself. He deserved to have his friends by his side when he died."

"You had no right…" Dr. Vexen started.

"He had every right to be at Demyx's side," Axel interrupted. "Demyx was Zexion's best friend and his lover. He was also the father of Zexion's child. He wanted to say goodbye to Zexion and Roxas and he got the chance because we were brave enough to come here even though it was not allowed."

"I know it's my fault Demyx is dead." Tears rolled freely down Zexion's face. "You can blame me all you want; I don't care. But I loved him and no matter what happens, that is not going to change."

Dr. Vexen was stunned. Axel took advantage of the situation.

"We're leaving now. Come on," he commanded.

Zexion picked up Rian's carrier and he and Riku silently followed Axel out of the Medical Facility.

They were surprised when they realized that Axel was bringing them to his and Roxas's apartment, but didn't dare question the redhead. Axel managed to get the door open even though he was carrying Roxas.

The door swung open and Axel expertly navigated through the room in the dark. Riku slowly followed, trying hard to not run into anything. He blindly groped around until he found the light switch and flipped the lights on. Zexion waited at the door with Rian until it was safe.

Axel was bent over the couch when the lights went on, trying to get Roxas to let go of his shirt, which he clenched tightly with his fingers. Riku and Zexion watched as Axel patiently pried Roxas's fingers apart, speaking soft words of encouragement. Finally, he was successful and straightened up, long pale fingers smoothing out some of the wrinkles Roxas had made in his shirt. His eyes reflected strangely in the light.

"Axel? What's wrong?" Riku asked with a frown.

Axel's voice was strangely calm though his eyes seemed to dance wildly.

"We're going to break out of The Institute."

To be continued…

Notes:

Roxas: Hello there. Once again, the author has given me her notes and run off to barricade herself in her steel bunker. This time, I agree with her that it's needed. According to her notes, Demyx had a very good reason for dying. So far, from what can tell, Demyx was shot so he could die so something else can happen. I'm not sure what yet. The author hasn't told me and she won't let me see her outline so I have no idea what's going to happen. But I have a feeling that it's going to be messy.

Zexion: The author also sends her apologizes for the lateness of this chapter. Her excuses include moving home for the summer, some personal issues, her mother, also known as Nagzilla, and having to rewrite the chapter because she didn't like the way it turned out.

Roxas: She says that she expects to have Identity done by August at the very latest. She's going to push as hard as she can to get it done sooner. She's not sure if that'll work because she's going to be taking a class over the summer so she's not sure how much free time she'll have. And, of course, things never seem to work out as she plans. So just be warned of that now.


	27. Chapter 27

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. If I did, things would have been a lot different. Like Axel and Roxas would have gotten together. Same with Demyx and Zexion. Some members of the Organization wouldn't have died. And some other characters might have kicked the bucket in their place. So…yeah. I don't own them. And I'm not making money either.

-----------------------------

_Bryan sighed quietly as our lips connected again. His movements were slow, hesitant. He was afraid. I could tell. Afraid of what he might do if he let his instincts take over. _

"_Bryan," I murmured. He looked at me quizzically. "You don't have to be afraid. I'm ready for this."_

"_Even if we go farther than normal?" Bryan questioned._

_I smiled and brushed Bryan's bangs back. "That doesn't matter to me. I love you Bryan. I'll do anything for you."_

_Bryan didn't look convinced. I firmly pressed my lips to his for another kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him so he was on top of me. I registered shock in Bryan's eyes but that didn't matter to me at all. I had to break off the kiss to breathe, but after I was sufficiently supplied with oxygen, I kissed him again. I pressed my tongue to Bryan's lips. His eyes widened but he parted his lips. I slid my tongue into Bryan's mouth. Bryan exhaled softly._

"_Relax Bryan," I murmured, pulling away. "Please don't be afraid. Don't hold back, okay? Anything you want to do, I'll do."_

"_You don't mean that," Bryan murmured._

_I growled softly under my breath and sat up. Bryan moved back to give me space. "Bryan, you just don't get it, do you? I love you. I. Love. You. I'm willing to go all the way with you if you want to. Why can't you understand that?" _

_----------------------------_

Chapter 27

Riku and Zexion stared at Axel like he was crazy.

"Axel…" Riku started.

"It's the only way," Axel interrupted. "We sure as hell can't stay here. You know the only way to get out of here is to break out."

"Yeah," Riku agreed. "But it's extremely risky. There's a high probability that we'll be caught. We could be punished, even executed."

"We don't have a choice," Axel said softly. "The only thing we can do is plan everything very carefully and prepare ourselves for the worst possible outcome. And…you don't have to do this Riku. We aren't going to force you into it. You can always stay in the safety of The Institute."

Riku snorted. "I'd rather die than stay at The Institute for the rest of my life, assuming that's what happens, since we don't have any idea what actually happens after we get older. I'm not willing to stick around to find out." He looked at Axel. "What do we have to do?"

Axel thought for a while. "We need to be extremely careful so no one figures out what we're doing. It's already very risky with the number of people we have, especially with Rian, but we'll make it work somehow."

"The biggest problem we have to worry about is getting out of The Institute without being seen by anyone," Riku murmured. "And then we have to get out of the city without being caught. That's going to be very hard."

"I think we should split up," Roxas suddenly said from the couch. The others stared at him as he slowly sat up. "We should split up into two groups. That way, the group is smaller and there'll be less of a chance that we'll get caught."

"Yeah." Axel nodded. "That's a good idea."

"Axel." Roxas's tone was extremely gentle. "You and I can't be in the same group. It'll be very obvious that something is going on if we're together."

"Yes," Axel agreed.

"I think Riku and I should go together and you should go with Zexion and Rian," Roxas continued.

"No, that wouldn't be wise," Axel disagreed. "People might be suspicious if you go with Riku because you're a Bearer and he's a Breeder who isn't your mate. People won't be as suspicious if there are two Bearers together, especially if it's you and Zexion. Likewise, people won't be as suspicious if there are two Breeders together who interact regularly, like Riku and myself."

"You have a point," Roxas relented. "However, I'm worried about if we meet some resistance along the way. Two Bearers together are an easy target, especially if one of them has a child."

"We may have no choice though," Zexion murmured. "We may just have to go through with it and pray for the best outcome."

"We need to pack lightly," Axel said. "Only bring what you absolutely need. We won't be leaving right away, but we still need to get ready as soon as possible. I'm going to start looking for a place for us to get out. I don't know how many entrances to The Institute there are."

"The two I know about are the one at the Medical Facility and the one we used with Xemnas and neither of those seem appropriate. Those two exits are the last places we want to try and escape from because that's where they'll expect an escape. Tell me…" Roxas looked at Axel intently. "Do you know of anyone who's tried to escape from The Institute?"

Axel thought for a few moments and then turned to Riku. "There was that one guy, right? What was his name? Al…something."

"It was Arlen," Riku responded irately. "His name was Arlen."

Axel looked over at Roxas, who seemed to be frozen, his mind elsewhere.

"Roxas? Are you okay?" Axel asked, his forehead wrinkling with worry.

Roxas didn't answer. When Axel gently touched him on the shoulder, he jumped.

"Oh. Sorry." Roxas blinked, coming out of his trance-like state. "I was just thinking. What were you saying? Something about a guy named Arlen trying to escape? What happened to him?"

Axel couldn't help feeling that Roxas was hiding something from him, though he knew this was not the right time to pursue it.

"His name was Arlen," he said instead. "He tried to escape from The Institute years and years ago."

"It was a long time ago," Riku added. "Before you were born, Roxas."

"Actually…" Axel frowned. "It was around the time Roxas was born." He shook his head. "Anyway, he attempted to escape from The Institute but he was caught."

"What happened to him?" Roxas asked breathlessly. "Was he executed?"

"No." Axel shook his head. "They couldn't."

"Why not?" Roxas wondered. He gave a soft gasp, his hands flying to his mouth. "He wasn't…?"

"Yeah." Axel's face was grim. "He was pregnant."

"They didn't want to lose the child because it was possible that it was a Bearer. And guess what. It was." Riku chuckled darkly.

"So who's the Bearer Arlen produced?" Roxas asked. "Is it someone we know?"

"We have no idea," Axel confessed. "The name of the child was never revealed."

"So what happened to Arlen after he gave birth? Did they…?" Roxas broke off with a shudder.

"They kept him alive," Axel replied grimly. "They thought that he was valuable to keep around since he had already produced a Bearer."

"That didn't go well," Riku said darkly. "He didn't have any more children. For whatever reason, he could only have the one child. And they didn't know who the father of the baby was either."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked.

"All we know is that the father wasn't at The Institute," Riku responded.

"No one knows what happened to Arlen after that," Axel said. "He just seemed to vanish off the face of the planet. No one knows if he's still alive or if he died."

"So how do you two know all this?" Roxas asked.

"We've heard the stories the guards tell each other. And the story is in the textbook, if you've ever read it. It's a sort of warning to not mess with The Institute. They spout some nonsense about how Arlen was caught and punished, but it's contradictory at the same time, because it was written that Arlen was pregnant and it states that no harm will ever come to a Bearer, especially a pregnant Bearer."

"I never knew that it was in the textbook." Roxas thought guiltily of his own textbook sitting at the bottom of the trunk, scarcely being used.

"Anyway, I'm going to sneak around and see if I can find any exits that are useable," Axel said.

"Be careful," Roxas warned.

Axel smiled. "I will."

To be continued…

Notes: I'm back! No more hiding in steel reinforced bunkers…maybe. I was afraid of being shot for killing off Demyx, but the readers were so understanding. Thanks! It's highly appreciated. All your reviews are much appreciated. It makes me feel loved, which makes me happy, which makes me motivated to write, which gets the chapters done faster.

I want to say that I'm going to post a chapter each week, but I can't guarantee it. But the chapters will always be posted on a Friday. Don't ask me why. That's just the day I chose. I'm really hoping to post one chapter each week because that means it'll be finished sooner and I think I can write a decent chapter in a week. We'll see.

Edit: Thanks to **Valinda Blade **and **Final Fallen Fantasy **for pointing out two typos.


	28. Chapter 28

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. If I did, things would have turned out way different. A bunch of the guys from Organization XIII wouldn't have died and some other characters would have been sacrificed in their place. So yeah…I don't own them. And I don't get any money by writing this. It's for entertainment only. Okay?

--------------------------------

_I leaned in and kissed Bryan on the lips again. Bryan took a deep breath and I could tell that he was relaxing. _

_"Trust your instincts, okay?" I whispered._

_Bryan nodded and we started kissing again. Tongues quickly came into play as Bryan wrapped his arms around me. I fell lightly onto my back, Bryan over me. _

_He brought my shirt up over my head and tossed it to the side. His hand brushed across my nipples, causing me to gasp. My breathing intensified as his hands ran down to my belly. He traced across my skin, lightly drawing circles. His hands found my pants and slid them down. I raised my hips so he could take them off. Next to go were my boxers. Bryan moved his hand down and started stroking me until I was hard. I moaned softly and thrust my hips up and down._

_"You like that, huh?" Bryan asked with a grin._

_"Yes!" I gasped._

_"Hmm. How about this?" Bryan leaned down and pressed his tongue to the tip of my erection._

_I gave a soft cry and buried my hands in his hair. Bryan was relentlessly licking and sucking my erection. I cried and moaned, my breathing faster than normal. The pressure was building._

_"B…Bryan!" I gasped. "I can't hold it much longer!"_

_Bryan nodded and pulled his mouth away. He finished it with his hand. He wiped his dripping hand on his pants and leaned down._

_"I'm gonna go in you now, okay?" he whispered._

_"Yes." I nodded. "Do whatever you want."_

_Bryan kissed me on the cheek. He slid his pants and boxers off._

_"Spread your legs," he ordered._

_I obeyed. Bryan moved forward and slid a finger inside me. I gasped; it hurt. Bryan moved his finger around, stretching the muscle. Then, a second finger went in. I felt tears in the corner of my eyes._

_"I'm sorry Jay," Bryan whispered._

_"It's all right." I smiled. "I'm fine."_

_Bryan removed his fingers and slid in. I cried out softly; having Bryan inside me hurt even more than just his fingers. Bryan paused._

_"Do you want me to stop?" he asked._

_"No," I whispered. "Please don't."_

_Bryan shifted his position, moving even farther inside me._

_"You okay?" he asked._

_"Yes," I answered._

_Bryan started a series of thrusts that slowly got deeper and deeper._

_"More!" I cried. "More!"_

_Bryan moved faster and faster. My heart was racing but my brain and the rest of my body told me that I liked this. It told me that it felt good._

_Bryan was grunting and groaning and I could feel him growing closer and closer. Then, he released. I groaned and shuddered._

_Bryan pulled out of me and collapsed by my side. We lay side by side, breathless, our fingers entwined. _

_"We'd better get ourselves cleaned up and get back before they get worried," Bryan said._

_"Yeah," I agreed._

_We slowly got up, reluctant to get into motion. I was a little sort, but it wasn't anything unbearable. There was a small creek we washed ourselves and our clothes in. We gathered the rest of the wood and returned like nothing had ever happened. However, I knew that nothing was going to be the same after this. And I was right._

------------------------------------------

Chapter 28

Breakfast the next morning was subdued. Everyone had heard about Demyx's death. The pale faces and hushed murmurings were a testament to just how much Demyx's death had affected them all. It was the second death in only a couple weeks and it had been completely unintentional. The Council was furious.

And the truth about what Demyx was had finally come out. No one had ever heard of a Mixed before. It was so rare that the term was never used. They were either classified as Breeder or Bearer, black or white. There had never been any sort of grey before. Everything was so cut and dry, one or the other. Now there was a middle ground that they were so unused to having.

Zexion and Roxas sat alone at their table. It was so empty without Demyx there. Zexion was silent, only picking at his food.

"Zexion, you have to eat," Roxas murmured. "Please. For Rian's sake. You know you can't nurse if you don't keep your strength up."

Zexion sighed quietly. He knew Roxas was right. He ate without any sort of enthusiasm, eating just to put something in his stomach. He scarcely even tasted what he ate.

During their first lesson, Mr. Walker talked to them what happened.

"I'm sure all of you have already heard about what happened with Demyx," he started out. "It is truly a terrible day. Although Demyx broke The Institute's most sacred rule, Xemnas wants me to assure you that he never intended Demyx to die. It was purely an accident. I am sure you have also heard the news about what Demyx truly is, a Mixed child. Xemnas has his reasons for not saying anything until now. To understand, I must explain exactly what the term Mixed means.

"It refers to a male child who has the genetics of both the Breeder and the Bearer in equal amounts. It's a tricky thing to understand. From what we can tell, the twins Hayden and Harou both had the ability to bear children, but they had a bit of difference in their genetic makeup. Hayden was more aggressive and Harou was more passive. It was a trait that was passed on from generation to generation. So then, why can only Bearers have children? Well…"

Zexion's attention wandered off at this point. He couldn't help it; Mr. Walker was the most boring teacher in existence. Zexion glanced at the Breeders' side of the room. Demyx's mate Marluxia sat with his elbows propped on his desk, his chin resting in one of his hands. He stared at the front of the room disinterestedly, his hair dyed black. He looked incredibly miserable. Zexion felt a huge wave of guilt for putting Marluxia through all this.

_He's such a kind person._ Zexion thought. _He and Demyx got along so well. Marluxia loved Demyx because it was his duty, but he was always kind to Demyx._

Marluxia sensed that someone was watching him and looked up. His instincts proved to be correct; Saix's mate was watching him.

As soon as Zexion saw that Marluxia had noticed him staring, he adverted his eyes. He couldn't bear to look Marluxia in the eye after what he had done. It was his fault Demyx was dead. He'd never be able to look Marluxia in the eye again.

At the break, Marluxia made a surprising move. Instead of proceeding to the gym with the rest of the Breeders, he came over to Zexion. Zexion looked up at him in surprise and then lowered his eyes.

"Zexion, look at me," Marluxia commanded harshly.

Zexion looked up at him.

Marluxia gently cupped Zexion's chin. "I don't blame you for what happened to Demyx. What he did in his free time isn't my business. Just so you know, I wasn't exactly faithful to Demyx myself. I think he knew and it didn't bother him. So that's why…I don't condemn his actions at all."

He stared at Zexion for a few seconds and then finally released Zexion's chin. He walked away, leaving behind a very surprised Zexion.

After a while, Zexion got up with Rian and headed for gym even though he wasn't going to be participating because of Rian. One of the teachers, though he didn't know who had set up a chair on the sidelines so he'd be comfortable.

The Bearers and Breeders shuffled out of their respective locker rooms and started jogging as a warm up. They ran fifteen laps and then separated into two groups for the day's activity. The Bearers were learning archery and the Breeders were playing basketball. It was always like that; the Bearers did something that wasn't very dangerous so they wouldn't risk getting hurt and damaging their reproductive systems and the Breeders did some sort of a sport or activity that could help to relieve some of their aggression. Zexion watched the latter group; it was always amusing to see. They were very competitive and very aggressive over a simple game of basketball.

Zexion's eyes fell on Axel, who was in a group with Riku and several other Breeders Zexion didn't know. Axel's red hair was tied back into a loose ponytail and his eyes watched the ball. He moved fluidly, almost like a cat. He stole the ball from the other team and passed it off to Riku, who made a basket.

Zexion's gaze returned to the Bearers. Roxas was waiting in line behind Dan. The younger Bearer fired his last arrow, missing high. He handed the bow to Roxas and went to the back of the line. Roxas was up. The teacher brought the arrows back and Roxas carefully fitted the first arrow. He aimed, pulled the bow back, and fired. The arrow swerved slightly to the right.

"Not bad," the teacher said approvingly.

She handed him the next arrow. This time, the arrow went left. The teacher corrected Roxas's aim. The third arrow nearly hit the center. Roxas took careful aim with the last arrow. It hit dead center.

"Nice shot." The teacher gently patted him on the back.

"Thanks." Roxas blushed.

He handed the bow to the next Bearer in line, and went to the back, catching Zexion's eye as he did. Zexion smiled at him. Roxas returned the smile.

After gym finally ended, they headed for lunch. Zexion ate quickly, not caring what he put in his mouth. He quickly brought his tray to the garbage can and took Rian to the dormitory alone so he could nurse. He knew that he was most likely going to be late for class, so he convinced Roxas to stay behind so he would not be late as well. It had taken a lot to convince his blond haired friend to let him do this alone. He did not want Roxas to be punished for being late.

Zexion sat on the edge of his bed with his shirt up. He picked Rian up and helped the baby find the nipple. Rian started nursing and Zexion relaxed. His thoughts immediately turned to Demyx. He missed the blond-haired boy so much, but he couldn't bring himself to cry anymore. He had already shed all his tears.

When Rian had finished nursing, Zexion burped him and laid him in his carrier. Then, he buttoned up his shirt and headed for his afternoon class.

He arrived late, as he had expected, but Mr. Brennen didn't seem to mind. Everyone stared at Zexion as he took his seat next to Roxas. It was painfully obvious that Demyx's seat was vacant. It made Zexion feel even more guilty. He knew the other Bearers, with the exception of Roxas, blamed him for Demyx's death and he thought they were right. He was totally to blame for Demyx's death. It made him want to start crying all over again.

To be continued…

Notes: Surprise! I'm updating this early because it's finished, proofread, and I just felt like posting it way early. Besides, I'm leaving Friday for a weekend at my grandma's house up north where there's no Internet access so I decided that I'd post it now. Wow, I can't believe how fast I finished this chapter. We're getting close to the end, folks. Only five chapters left! I am sad that this is ending, but I've accepted that it does need to end.

Finally, Marluxia makes an appearance.

Marluxia: Yeah, after what, twenty seven chapters? You need to find a way to introduce me sooner!

Me: Don't even start with me! I'm getting enough grief from my characters from the novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo. I don't need any crap from you as well.

Marluxia: Sorry.

Me: Wow, Bryan and Jayden finally had sex. It sure took them long enough to actually do it. I hate reluctant characters. They drive me crazy!!


	29. Chapter 29

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. Things would be a lot different if I did. Let's just leave it at that. I'm not making any money by writing this either. This is purely for entertainment.

_I felt fine after the first time we had sex, besides a bit of pain. After a few months of sex, though, I started feeling weird again. It was a different kind of weird. I was tired and nauseous and I just felt like there was something wrong. I had a feeling about what it was, but I didn't want to go to my father Harou. I didn't want him to know that H had had sex with Bryan because I knew he would not approve of our relationship._

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Chapter 29

After dinner, Zexion was suddenly grabbed by Riku.

"Come with me," he said softly. "Axel wants to have a quick talk. He says it's really important."

"All right." Zexion nodded.

He followed Riku to Roxas and Axel's apartment. The two of them were waiting for them in the living room. After Zexion and Riku were inside, Axel shut the door and locked it so they wouldn't risk someone walking in on them. Then, he turned around.

"I've found another way out of The Institute," he said quietly. "There's a small service corridor that's barely used anymore. We can escape through there; it exits to a small wooded area that's perfect for us to hide in. I need a couple more days to scope things out and make sure it's safe."

The others were quick to agree. They also agreed to never speak of what they were doing unless they were safely in Roxas and Axel's apartment with the door locked. They weren't sure who they could trust so they decided that they wouldn't trust anyone.

Riku and Zexion returned to their respective dormitories.

"Soon we'll be free," Axel murmured, wrapping his arms around Roxas.

"Yeah," Roxas responded, relaxing into Axel's grip.

They stood like that for a while, Roxas looking up into Axel's eyes. Finally, their lips connected.

"Roxas, are you sure…?" Axel asked.

"We have to do sometime," Roxas answered. "I know you're really horny."

Axel shrugged. "I can deal with that. I've dealt with it before you came so I can deal with it again." His lips turned up into a lopsided smile. "Even though you smell incredibly good right now. I don't know how Riku was able to control himself while he was here.. I tried to keep the meeting really short because I know he would barely be able to control himself even though I was there. He knows not to push me but you might have been too tempting even for him. I didn't want to risk it and I didn't want to torture him. I know you're in heat. I can tell. But…"

"I'll be okay," Roxas whispered. "I need to get over what Saix did to me. The only way to do that is to prove to myself that having sex isn't scary. I trust you Axel, okay?"

"Okay." Axel kissed him on the forehead. "If you're uncomfortable with anything, let me know and we'll stop, okay?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

He pressed their lips together. Things quickly got heated with a heavy use of tongues. Axel's hands slipped underneath Roxas's shirt and ran up his spine. He was extremely careful so he wouldn't upset the blond. Roxas shifted impatiently.

"Axel, come on," he said. "I'm fine. You don't have to be careful with me. I'm not made of glass, you know."

"I know you aren't," Axel grumbled.

"Then don't treat me like I am."

"Sorry." Axel grimaced.

"It's all right."

They started kissing again. Axel's hands moved to Roxas's waist and grabbed the material of his shirt. He lifted it up. Roxas moved his arms out of the sleeves and Axel pulled the shirt over Roxas's head. He let the shirt drop to the floor. He wrapped his arms around Roxas again, softly touching him. He brought his hand around to the front and ran it across Roxas's nipples. Roxas moaned softly and arched his back. Axel seemed to like that reaction because he did it again, with the result of Roxas moaning once more. Axel slowly dragged his hand down to Roxas's belly, drawing small circles.

Roxas slid his hand up Axel's back underneath his shirt, massaging the skin. Axel's shirt was quickly removed.

"Do you want to go to the bedroom?" Roxas asked, running his hand down Axel's chest.

"Not really," Axel answered, barely suppressing a shiver at the contact. "I'm fine right here."

"In the living room?" Roxas asked. "Where are we gonna do it?"

"On the couch, on the floor, take your pick," Axel answered with a small grin.

Roxas couldn't suppress a laugh. "Only you would say something like that Axel. I suppose you're right though. This is our apartment after all. We can do whatever we want as long as we're quiet and clean up after we've finished."

"Mmm." Axel kissed Roxas's pale neck.

He let his hands wander down to Roxas's waist. He slowly slid his hand underneath Roxas's pants, lightly grazing his hipbones.

He knew he was crossing over into dangerous territory now. After doing some experimenting, he had discovered that Roxas was comfortable with kissing and any contact above the waist. But once he hit Roxas's waist, Axel knew that he was leaving Roxas's comfort zone and tended to stay away from there out of respect for his mate. He hated seeing his mate upset and his immediate reaction was to avoid whatever was causing Roxas to be upset. When Roxas started trembling and his breathing became erratic, Axel stopped.

"Are you all right?" he asked, withdrawing his hand from beneath Roxas's pants.

"I'm fine," Roxas answered, gazing calmly at Axel.

"But you're trembling," Axel pointed out.

"I know," Roxas said patiently. "I'm all right though." He took several deep breaths and his breathing slowed back to normal. "See? I'm all right."

Axel didn't look convinced.

"Axel…" Roxas's tone was extremely gentle. He moved Axel's hand to his crotch. "Please. I need this. **We** need this. You know our relationship is barely hanging on as it is. There's no need to pretend that everything is all right. There are still some things that we need to work on and that's okay. Not every relationship is perfect. We're only human after all. We need this so bad, Axel. The only way is to take the next step and I think I'm finally ready to do that. All right?"

Axel nodded. He pressed his lips to Roxas's again and they started exchanging hot kisses. They backed up until Roxas's back was against the wall. Axel's lips sucked on Roxas's neck while his hands dropped to the blond's waist. He slid Roxas's pants and boxers down.

Roxas's breathing had sped up again. He wrapped his arms around Axel's neck as Axel slid his own pants and boxers down. Both of them were breathing heavily even though they hadn't done anything serious yet. Roxas panted as their hot sweaty bodies connected. Roxas cried out as Axel thrust into him again and again, his fingernails digging into Axel's shoulders.

As Axel moved into a series of rhythmic thrusts, Roxas seemed to relax slightly. Axel's hands moved to Roxas's erection and started stroking it. Roxas moaned and threw his head back, banging it hard against the wall. His lithe body constricted around Axel and his moans slowly got louder.

"Man Roxas. People are going to hear if you get much louder." Axel shook his head.

"I'm…sorry," Roxas panted. "I forgot how good this feels."

"Does it hurt at all?" Axel asked.

"Yeah, a little, but it's okay. It still feels really good. Forgot how good you are in bed. Or…against the wall. You know, we've never done this position before. All we've ever done is on the bed. Kinda boring if you ask me."

"Yeah, it is boring," Axel agreed, resisting the urge to laugh. "I didn't think the people here at The Institute would be happy if we did it anywhere except on the bed so I didn't push my luck."

Roxas smiled. Axel started thrusting deeper and deeper, trying to find his climax. Roxas moaned and gritted his teeth. He too was reaching his climax. He came first in Axel's hand. Axel thrust several more times and then released. Roxas moaned and buried his face in Axel's shoulder.

Axel withdrew and gathered Roxas in his arms. He carried the blond into their bedroom him and laid him on the bed. He gently covered his mate with a sheet and went out to living room to gather their clothes. He dropped them in the bedroom, gathered some new clothes, and went to take a shower.

When he came back, Roxas was still in bed. He hadn't moved at all.

"Roxas?" Axel asked, walking to the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Roxas mumbled. "I'm just tired."

"Okay." Axel left Roxas alone.

------------------------------

By the next morning, Roxas was back to normal, acting as though nothing had happened. Axel supposed that this was a good thing because they had much bigger things to worry about. The tension at The Institute was growing more and more apparent each day and it was making all those who resided there uncomfortable.

All of them knew the end was coming. It was inevitable now. Things were not the same now as they had been when they had first started out. Things couldn't happen the same way anymore; too much had changed. Revolution was nearing. Everyone could sense it, but Axel and Riku were especially sensitive to it.

Axel believed that it was because of Roxas. Roxas was not to blame for any of this and Axel certainly didn't blame Roxas at all, but he couldn't help feeling that Roxas was the reason all of this was happening.

Axel knew for years that The Institute was not going to last. Xemnas tried to control everything too much and as a result, everything was now slipping through his fingers. With or without Roxas, The Institute was doomed. Roxas's arrival at The Institute just sped up the process. It was as though it was fate. Fate had bound him and Roxas together.

Axel couldn't deny that Roxas had changed him. Roxas had changed so many people around him. It was just the kind of person he was. It was not at all bad. Roxas had helped him and many others become better people. He had helped Axel learn to let go of his dark past and to love again. Axel couldn't imagine life without Roxas. In fact, he didn't want to imagine life without Roxas.

Roxas brought with him an amazing gift to empathize with people and show them kindness even if they didn't deserve it. Axel was proud to call Roxas his mate and he'd do everything in his power to protect him.

When Roxas had first arrived at The Institute, he was a scared little boy, still a child in many ways. In a way, life at The Institute had forced him to grow up. He was given the responsibility of carrying and caring for a child at the tender age of fourteen and he had done it well. Then he had to give up the child for adoption. It had taken a lot out of him, but he finally managed to move on. On top of that, he had to deal with Axel, who was cold and uncaring.

Before Roxas arrived at The Institute, Xemnas barely had control of the Breeders. Things were fairly routine and nothing out of the ordinary happened. It was even considered normal for the Breeders to lose control when a Bearer went into heat, but it was usually only one or two of the more volatile Breeders who lost it.

Then Roxas arrived and everything changed.

It was subtle first, beginning with the mating of Roxas and Axel. Axel lashed out at their mating ceremony because of Roxas, but it wasn't because he hated Roxas; it was because he hated the idea of Roxas being his mate. He caused them to spend time together in confinement. Roxas surprised Axel by lashing out at him and telling him exactly what he thought of him. He was strong and stood up for himself, proving that he was not as weak as he first appeared.

The changes started growing more apparent as time went on and Roxas started growing up. His body physically matured and the Breeders started noticing him more and more. Their sexual urges started awakening, something that Xemnas had tried hard to suppress. All of them wanted Roxas and Axel was the only one who could have him. This upset them. Roxas unknowingly seduced the majority of the Breeders including Axel who was voluntarily suppressing his sexual urges.

When Roxas went into heat, it was the most potent heat any of them had ever experienced. They were unable to suppress their feelings any longer and snapped. Their self control that had been drilled into them since the first day they arrived at The Institute went out the window.

Axel believed that they were never able to fully recover their self control. Even the more experienced Breeders who had been there for a while and were able to control themselves much easier had trouble when Roxas went into heat.

Then Saix raped Roxas and was executed for it. The Breeders did not understand this. There were a few, like Riku and Sora, but the rest did not. They barely understood the concept of the mates in the first place. They didn't care how they got sex as long as they got it. Their eyes were opened to just how they were being treated by Xemnas and decided that they did not like this treatment. Then Demyx was killed and the Breeders finally snapped. Demyx was not a Breeder like them but he had sex with another Bearer and was killed because of that. It was just like Saix. They had no idea who was next. Something had to be done and they had the power to act. Chances were great that they were going to act and soon.

------------------------

As Roxas and Axel walked to breakfast, Axel kept Roxas close. They interlaced their finger and walked next to each other. When they reached the cafeteria, Axel stopped their progression.

"I'm going to eat with you and Zexion today," he said softly.

"But isn't that forbidden?" Roxas asked.

"Well yes, it usually is, but I don't think the guards are going to notice one or two Breeders quietly eating with two Bearers, especially if one of the Breeders is the mate of one of the Bearers. They're going to be more concerned with the rest of the Breeders who don't have as much self-control." Axel smiled grimly.

"Oh," Roxas murmured.

"Don't worry." Axel kissed Roxas on the forehead. "Riku and I will protect you and Zexion."

"But you and Riku will have a hard time protecting us from all the Breeders. I don't doubt you skills or Riku's, but there are so many of them and only two of you." Roxas wore a worried frown.

"I know," Axel replied. "It's going to be very hard for Riku and me to protect you and Zexion, but we'll do our best. We'll have help from the guards as well. Don't worry."

"But I have to worry," Roxas mumbled. "If I don't, who will?"

Axel kissed him on the forehead. "That's true."

He interlaced his fingers with Roxas's again and they walked into the cafeteria. The atmosphere of the room was tense. Everyone—the guards, the Breeders, the cafeteria workers, and even the Bearers were all on edge.

Axel gently squeezed Roxas's hand and let go of it. He walked over to the Breeders' line and stood behind Riku. He murmured something into the silver-haired teen's ear and Riku's eyes widened. He turned around and responded to whatever Axel had said. Axel nodded and murmured something else. He and Riku exchanged a few more words. Riku finally nodded and turned back around. Roxas saw him shake his head slightly as he moved up in his line.

Roxas joined the end of the other line designated for the Bearers, which was much shorter than the Breeders' line. Five minutes later, he had his tray of pancakes and sausages and was heading for his usual table. Zexion scarcely looked up as Roxas sat down. He looked a lot thinner and more worn out than usual. He was eating, at least. Roxas was glad that he didn't have to nag Zexion about eating again.

He was about to start on his sausages when a tray was set down next to his. It had the same meal; pancakes, sausages, and a cup of milk, but there were more pancakes and sausages on the plate. Roxas looked up as Axel gracefully slid into the seat next to him.

Across the way, Riku had set his tray down and was occupying the seat next to Zexion. A hush fell on the cafeteria and everyone stared at the table they were sitting at. The Breeders and Bearers both looked upset.

The guards were too worried about the Breeders to really care about what was going on with Axel and Riku. It was apparent they trusted the two Breeders and knew that they would not do anything to harm Roxas and Zexion. After all, Axel and Roxas were mates and Axel cared deeply for his mate.

Zexion looked up, shocked. "You and Axel aren't supposed to be here!"

Riku shrugged and lifted a forkful of sausage up to his mouth. "We're breaking the rules today." He put the sausage into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "Axel's worried that the other Breeders are going to snap soon so he wants to be close to you guys when it happens and I have to agree. I don't know how much protection we can give you, but it's better than nothing. I know the other Breeders usually won't mess with Axel. If they snap, they lose all sense of reason, so they might try to mess with Axel. I've seen it happen before. The end result isn't pretty."

"Is it like what happened to Saix?" Zexion questioned.

Riku stared at him for a few moments and then nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much what happens, though I think Saix pissed Axel off even more than usual so his beating was pretty severe."

Roxas lowered his eyes and concentrated on his breakfast. Axel casually took a sip of his milk. Riku looked around. The other Bearers looked at Riku and Axel apprehensively

"Nervous little rabbits aren't they?" Riku asked under his breath. Roxas looked puzzled. Riku threw a glance over at the other Bearers. "Are they always this jumpy?"

"No," Roxas replied after looking at them. "They're not always this nervous."

He returned to his breakfast. All of a sudden, there was a clattering sound across the room. Roxas and Zexion jumped slightly. Axel and Riku were immediately alert, looking for the source of the commotion. The original source was unknown, but it appeared to come from one of the Breeders. Roxas and Zexion relaxed, but Axel and Riku did not. They looked at each other and seemed to come to a silent agreement. They stood up at the same time.

"Let's go," Axel ordered.

"Where are we going?" Roxas asked.

"It doesn't matter," Axel answered in a flat tone. "Anywhere far away from here is fine."

Roxas and Zexion stood up with their trays.

"Give the trays to me," Riku said. "I'll take care of them for you."

Roxas and Zexion handed him the trays and waited breathlessly as he took them over to the trash can. He came back without any incident. They were about to leave when suddenly, all hell broke loose. It wasn't clear what set the Breeders off, but all of a sudden, they were out of control. Dishes and food flew in every direction. The guards moved to try and subdue them. Axel immediately took charge. He wrapped one arm around Roxas and the other around Zexion and started to move toward the exit.

"Rian!" Zexion suddenly cried out, turning around.

"I got him," Riku responded, hurrying to the carrier.

He picked Rian up and carried him to where the group stood.

"Go! Go!" he yelled, trying to get a better grip on Rian, who was starting to squeal and fuss.

They started running, holding each other's hands. Axel held tightly onto Roxas and Zexion ad Riku held onto the baby. They pushed the double doors open and raced out of the cafeteria.

There were screams that came from the other Bearers and enraged yells from the Breeders. The guards shouted to each other. Then, there were gunshots and more screams. Roxas sucked in his breath and stopped running.

"Don't stop running!" Axel yelled, tugging on Roxas's hand. "Just keep running. We've gotta get as far away from here as we can! Don't think. Just run!"

Roxas looked sick, but obeyed. The sounds of gunfire intensified.

"It sounds like the shots are being returned," Riku muttered. "That must mean that the Breeders got their hands on some guns. Probably killed some of the guards and stole their guns. That was what they wanted to do. I heard them quietly discussing it."

"If that is the case, then we could be screwed. If the Breeders are out of control and armed, then it won't matter who's in their way. They'll mow down anyone in their path," Axel said.

Roxas shivered slightly.

"We've gotta find a place to hide," Riku said. "Fast."

"Yeah," Axel agreed.

"This way." Riku pointed to a corridor to their right.

They quickly turned and sprinted down the hallway. It looked like every other hallway in The Institute with the same eggshell white walls, white tiled floors, and overhead fluorescent lights, but at the same time, it was different. It just felt out of the ordinary. It stretched on and on with no apparent end in sight. They kept running, never looking back.

The hallway started producing doors on either side of the hallway. They were spaced pretty far apart.

"Looks like there are some apartments here," Riku murmured, glancing at some of the doors as they ran past.

The doors had large brass numbers on them and as they went farther down the hallway, the numbers went higher. Even numbers were on one side and odd numbers were on the other side.

They stopped outside number 113.

"We can catch our breath here for a minute," Axel said. "We need to keep moving and find our way back to the apartment, preferably without being seen by anybody, so we can get our stuff, and get the hell out of here."

"Do you really think that's safe?" Riku asked, listening to the distant gunshots and screams over Rian's fussing.

"No," Axel answered bluntly. "We don't have a choice though. We can't escape from The Institute the way we are right now. We won't survive long. It'll be very risky, but I think we can pull it off."

Suddenly, the door to number 113 swung open. Axel stepped back, pushing Roxas behind him. Riku quickly shoved Rian into Zexion's arms and stood protectively in front of him as a man came out, looking thoroughly puzzled.

Axel and Riku stared. They looked at each other and then stared back at the man. There was no mistaking it.

The man was almost an exact replica of Roxas.

To be continued…

Notes: Um, please don't kill me for the cliffhanger. Please? I know I'm evil, but I couldn't help it. It was the perfect place to end the chapter. There, it was a nice long chapter. I tried my hardest to make it really long. I did have to do a wee bit of forcing. Hopefully it's not apparent.

Wow, Axel and Roxas finally had sex. I swear to god I was not planning for them to have sex again in this novel, but it just slipped in there. I'm glad though. They got to work out their issues and it helped the chapter to be even longer. And who can resist some Axel/Roxas smut? :P

I had it all written out but then I started adding more stuff to it and I was listening to my music in ITunes. Every time a Disney song came on (yes I listen to a lot of Disney music but it's the old stuff like songs from Tarzan, Cinderella, the Lion King, and Dumbo, to name a few—the movies that were actually good) I had to stop working on it because I could NOT work on it while listening to Disney. I didn't want to change the song because I love the music. So I stopped working on it for a couple minutes until the song ended and another one came on. Trust me, trying to write sex scenes while listening to Disney music is not good. XD It's G-rated stuff and I'm writing adult stuff. XDDDDDDDDD

For the first time ever, I actually printed off the chapter so I could proofread it. Normally, I just bring the chapter up in MS word and proofread it that way, but I kept missing mistakes so this time I printed off a copy first. It's a lot better this way. Plus I added some more stuff to make it even better.

I'm sort of throwing the schedule out the window. I have the next chapter already finished so all I have to do is type it up. I'm going to type it up, proofread it, and then post it. I'm getting this done faster than I thought I would. I'm also combining two chapters so instead of 33 chapters, there are going to be 32 chapters. I really didn't want to do this, but the next chapter would be so insanely short if I did and I REALLY need to have long chapters or else I'm not going to make it to 100,000 words. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it in the first place, but I'm going to try so hard. Going back and revising will help because I'm planning to add in a whole bunch of stuff in. Whatever.


	30. Chapter 30

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. If I did, things would be so much different. I do, however, get to claim characters such as Bryan, Jayden, Hayden, Harou, and other characters that I made up for this story. Okay? Oh yeah, I'm not making any money by writing this. Though one day I might get some money for the original version of this that I came up with. If I ever finish the revisions. –sweatdrops-

_In January, my fathers found out that Bryan and I were sexually active with each other and they weren't happy, to say the least. It was then that I decided I should tell them._

_"What was that?" Harou asked in response to my mumbled confession._

_I lifted my head, tears streaming down my face._

_"I think I'm pregnant," I said clearly._

_-------------------_

_My father's debated for a long time in the kitchen while I sat with Bryan and the rest of our siblings in the living room. Finally, Harou came back into the living room._

_"Jayden," he said softly. "I'm going to do an examination to see if you really are pregnant, okay?"_

_"All right." I nodded._

_I followed Harou up to his and Hayden's bedroom._

_"Can you take off your clothes and lay on the bed?" Harou asked._

_Harou didn't wait for my answer; he vanished into another room. I stripped my clothes off and waited breathlessly for Harou to appear._

_He came out a while later with a pair of protective gloves on. He examined me from head to toe and then intimately examined me. His expression was unreadable for the longest time. I wasn't surprised; he was always the unreadable one._

_"Well Jayden, it looks like you are pregnant," he finally said._

_"O…oh. Is that even possible?" I stammered._

_"Oh yes," Harou assured me. "It's possible since both your father and I can have children. We weren't sure if that ability could be passed down to our offspring, but you proved that it is possible."_

_"Do you know how far along I am?" I asked._

_"It looks like you're a month and a half pregnant," Harou answered._

_"I see."_

_I must have looked scared because Harou gently touched my shoulder._

_"It's not bad that you're pregnant," he said softly. "Your father and I are just surprised, that's all."_

_"But you weren't happy that Bryan I were sexually active with each other," I pointed out._

_"Well yes, but that's because we didn't know that you could have children Jayden. We wanted you and your brother to have female partners because they can have children and our purpose in life is to repopulate the Earth. But since you can have children, it means that there are more chances for that to happen. It's a gift, Jayden. Always remember that."_

_I nodded._

_----------------------------_

Chapter 30

The man stared at them, his mouth hanging open only slightly. Then, he saw Roxas partially hidden behind Axel and completely froze.

Another man came out behind the first. "Arlen? What's going on?"

Roxas gave a quiet gasp when he saw the second man. "Reno?"

The man saw Roxas and froze as well. "Roxas?"

"Who the hell are you?" Axel demanded, not allowing the men to get any closer to his mate.

Roxas's gaze was on the blond man. His eyes filled with tears and he pushed his way past his mate, his eyes never leaving the blond.

"Dad," he whispered.

Axel looked from the men to Roxas and then back at the men again. He saw the resemblance not only in the blond, but in the other man Roxas had called "Reno" as well.

"What the hell is going on?" Riku uttered.

He did not get an answer; the gunshots suddenly got louder.

"Inside," the blond haired man said curtly.

He and the other man pulled all four of them through 113's door and closed it behind them.

The red haired man locked the door.

"There," he said. "That should hold 'em, for a while at least."

They stood awkwardly in the front sitting room, which was the same as Axel an Roxas's, only larger. The blond haired man stared at Roxas.

"Roxas? Is it really you?" he asked.

Roxas nodded. The man started crying softly and hugged Roxas. "I never thought I'd see you again!"

"What is going on?" Riku demanded.

"Can't you see the resemblance, Riku? Isn't it obvious?" Axel asked. "These are Roxas's parents."

Riku gasped softly and stared at them. The resemblance was much easier to see through the blond haired man, but Riku could also see some of Roxas in the redhead, especially in the eyes and the structure of Roxas's face. The blond was more serious than the redhead. It was all in the posture. The blond held himself stiffly whereas the redhead was more slouched, relaxed. The blond did not smile but the redhead had a catlike grin on his face. They were as different as night and day.

"Holy shit," Riku muttered.

"What I want to know is how do you know they're your parents?" Axel asked, turning to Roxas.

"I met them when I was younger, before I came to The Institute," Roxas answered.

"My name is Reno. Reno Sinclair. You probably recognize me from the Council."

Axel's eyes widened. "Oh yeah. I remember you now."

"Yup." Reno nodded.

"So you met them before you came to The Institute?" Riku asked Roxas.

"Yes," Roxas responded. "They came when it was time for me to learn what I really was. They came to help with the explanation. It really helped to have them both there because it was fairly obvious that both of them were males."

"The same thing happened when I was younger too," Zexion said. "I think they do that with all the Bearers."

"You're right." Reno smiled. "As I said, I'm Reno. That's Arlen." He pointed to the blond man. The name suddenly clicked with Riku.

"You're the one who tried to escape from The Institute, weren't you?" he asked.

"Yes," Arlen admitted. "That was me. So they **did **add that to the textbook after all. Xemnas threatened that he would."

"Yeah," Riku said. A thought just occurred to him. "So wait. That means you were pregnant with Roxas, weren't you? When you were caught I mean."

Arlen put his hand on Roxas's shoulder. "Yes. I was pregnant with Roxas when I was caught trying to escape from The Institute."

"So you're the Bearer in the relationship then?" Riku asked.

"Yes, I am," Arlen answered.

Axel frowned and turned to Reno. "You're not a Breeder, are you?"

Reno looked surprised, but still smiled. "You're right. I'm not a Breeder. It's a long story how I got mixed up in all this and became Roxas's father."

"We have time," Riku pointed out. "It's not likely that things are going to calm down anytime soon."

"Yeah," Reno agreed. "But first, I'd like to know who y'all are."

"I'll introduce you." Roxas stepped forward. "The redhead is my mate, Axel. The dark grey haired boy is my friend Zexion and his son Rian, And finally, the silver-haired boy is Riku, Axel's friend."

Arlen and Reno looked very surprised, but welcomed them anyway. All of them made themselves comfortable in the living room. Roxas and Axel shared a couch, as did Reno and Arlen. Zexion and Riku both chose comfortable-looking armchairs in between the couches. Zexion held Rian on his lap, trying desperately to put the baby to sleep. At last, he was successful and Rian napped in his arms.

"Okay," Reno said once they were all comfortable. "As I said before, I'm not a Breeder. I'm just a regular guy. I was born and raised in the slums. I met Arlen here when I was in third grade. We were distant for a long time. Arlen was openly gay and I wasn't…at least until fifth grade. Arlen and I started talking around that time and then we started messing around. I was curious and Arlen was knowledgeable. We didn't do anything until we were much older, after I hit puberty.

"There was a group of us who met in grade school and for the longest time, we were real close. Then in high school we started getting distant with each other. We were going our own separate ways and there was nothing to stop it. A lot of them died due to drugs and alcohol. Arlen vanished off the face of the earth. I thought it was because his brother Aidan had committed suicide, but it was because he was a Bearer. He never told any of us this." Reno turned to Arlen. "You get to tell them the next part of the story."

"All right." Arlen sighed softly. "I went to The Institute when I was fourteen, a year later than usual, but it was allowed because my twin brother had committed suicide. They decided that they needed to let me have some time to cope with my brother's suicide because it was too stressful for me to deal with that plus trying to get used to The Institute. What I didn't know was that I had already had my first heat without even knowing it, and then I slept with Reno regularly. I was in for a shock when I went through my preliminary examination with Dr. White. I was already pregnant.

"I finally let it out that I was sexually active with another man on a regular basis before coming to The Institute, which is something I should **not** have done. They decided that I couldn't be mated with anyone else since I was already tainted, not to mention pregnant, so I was given a private apartment. I was never integrated into the population at The Institute like the rest of you. It was a very stressful time for me. I was pregnant and no one wanted anything to do with me or my baby…for the most part. I tried to escape while I was pregnant and they found out. Contrary to my belief, they did want me. Actually, they were interested in my unborn child because he could potentially be a Bearer. So they brought me back.

"When my time came, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy I named Roxas. Then I found out that he was a Bearer like me. After that, they had a keen interest in both of us. They decided that I was too valuable so they didn't get rid of me. I guess I should be thankful that my life was spared.

"When Roxas was six months old, I gave him up for adoption, as was the custom. I continued living at The Institute without a mate because even though there were plenty of Breeders, they didn't want to waste anyone on me. They were just waiting for the right one to come along." He turned to Reno. "Your turn, dear."

Reno smirked. "All right. While Arlen was living at The Institute, I was going to school. I graduated from high school and joined the Police Force. My partner Rude was murdered and through a chain of unfortunate events, I was reunited with Arlen. It was then that I learned that Arlen was a Bearer and that I had fathered a son.

"Not soon after that, I went to meet Roxas when we went to explain about The Institute and that Roxas was a Bearer. We lived together until now." Reno glanced at them. "All right. Now I think it's time for you to do some explaining."

Roxas took a deep breath. "It's a long story."

"We have the time." Reno shrugged.

"Yeah, I know." Roxas smiled. "Where do I start though? Let's see…I came here, was mated to Axel, who was a cold, heartless pig at the beginning. I had my first heat and Axel and I had sex. I got pregnant. Zexion and our friend Demyx, who was also a Bearer, had sex."

"Hold on. You said 'was'. Demyx was a Bearer." Reno frowned.

"Demyx died," Roxas said quietly.

"Oh. I'm really sorry to hear that," Reno murmured.

"It's all right." Roxas smiled weakly. "Anyway, Zexion, who was having trouble getting pregnant with his real mate Saix, finally got pregnant with Demyx. We kept it a secret for as long as possible because we weren't sure who the father was. I gave birth to a baby boy named Colin. When he was six months old, I had to give him up for adoption. Axel and I finally made up. Saix…" Roxas took in a deep shuddering breath. "Saix raped me."

"Yes, we know," Reno said in a hard voice. "We were there for Saix's trial. We were the ones who helped send him to his death."

"And he was executed." Roxas's voice was barely audible. He cleared his throat. "Zexion finally gave birth to Rian. However, he looked like Demyx instead of Saix so Zexion's secret was revealed. Xemnas, as you might imagine, wasn't happy about this at all. Demyx was detained by Xemnas and he wouldn't say what was going on so Xemnas got mad. He brought us in for questioning and when we wouldn't talk, he tried to separate us and put us in confinement. That's when Demyx was shot. One of the guards forcefully took Rian away from Zexion, which upset him, which made Demyx upset, and then he tried to attack Xemnas. Xemnas shot him. He…died in the Medical Facility."

"He was one of the Mixed, wasn't he?" Reno suddenly interrupted.

"Yes. He was Mixed." Roxas nodded.

"One of the Mixed?" Axel frowned. "So you're saying there's more than one Mixed at The Institute?"

"Didn't Xemnas tell you?" Roxas asked. "There were two Mixed here at The Institute. Only two Mixed The Institute has ever seen. One was Demyx and the other is Sora."

"Sora?!" Riku gasped. "Sweet little Sora is actually a Mixed?" He shook his head. "Well it makes perfect sense."

"Today the Bearers lost control and we were running from them. We came down here and tried to hide. That's when we met you," Roxas finished.

After Roxas had finished talking, the room was silent. Finally, Reno spoke.

"What are you planning to do?" he asked.

"We're going to leave The Institute," Roxas answered.

Reno and Arlen looked completely shocked.

"Are you nuts?!" Reno protested. "There's no way in hell you're going to be able to leave The Institute in one piece!"

"We have to at least try," Roxas replied.

"So are you just going to walk away from your duty as a Bearer then?" Arlen asked, a cold tint to his voice.

"Of course not," Roxas answered. "I'm still going to be living with my mate and we're still going to try and have children. I just don't want to live at The Institute any longer."

"I can respect that," Arlen said. He nodded to himself. "All right. I'll help you. It's going to be dangerous, but I'll do all I can to assist you."

"You know I'm in," Reno said with a grin. "I want out of The Institute as well."

"What we need to do is come up with a plan," Arlen said.

"One that doesn't involve us getting caught," Reno added. Arlen glared at him.

"What was your original plan?" Arlen asked Axel.

"We were planning to use this almost abandoned service corridor to escape that I found," Axel explained. "There's a small forest nearby. We were going to use it to cover our movement."

Arlen nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good plan. The guards are already pretty distracted, but we can't take any chances. We'll wait until it's dark before we slip out. Reno and I are allowed to come and go as we please as long as we come back."

"They really trust you, huh?" Riku muttered.

Arlen ignored this. "I will go out under the pretense that I'm going shopping. In reality, I will be checking things out to see what it's like. The rest of you are to lay low until I get back. Understand?"

The others nodded. Arlen gave Reno a brief kiss on the lips and slipped out of the room.

"Well," Riku sighed after Arlen had left. "At least now we know where Roxas gets his attitude from."

Reno laughed. "Yeah, Arlen's something else, isn't he? After puttin' up with me for so long, I'm not surprised."

"I want to try and sneak back to our apartment to get our things," Axel said.

"No." Roxas shook his head. "You shouldn't. It's way too dangerous."

Axel smiled. "Don't worry. I'm going to be fine. I know how to sneak around without being caught."

"All right," Roxas reluctantly agreed. "Be careful, all right?"

Axel nodded. He quickly kissed his mate on the lips. Just like Arlen, he slipped out of the room.

To be continued…

Notes: Ha, how many of you were expecting Reno to turn out to be Roxas's father? A bunch of you called the Arlen thing, but not Reno. A couple people guessed Ven, but could you imagine Ven with Reno??! –headdesk-

About Rude: I know I said that he was on the Council, but that was before I realized he and Reno fit into this story, so he's not there, okay? I'll make sure I go back and change that little bit so people don't get confused. He's not there. There's a lot more to Reno's story than you'll get here. In fact, there are going to be two other books describing exactly what happened to Reno that caused him to become Roxas's father. The first book is called Dark Angel. I'm in the process of rewriting it because I wrote it for NaNoWriMo and then realized that if I tweaked some things (a lot of things, actually) I could make it fit into Identity's universe. The prologue is posted but it's not done. I'm rewriting it. Not sure when I'll have it finished.

The chapter was supposed to be a lot shorter than this, as well as Chapter 31, but I'm working on Chapter 32 and it just keeps getting longer and longer so I decided to move stuff from Chapter 31 to this chapter and then I'm going to move stuff from Chapter 32 to make it a bit more even.

I'm sorry it took me a while to get this chapter finished. I didn't expect it to take this long to get finished. I kept putting it off and now I'm paying the price. XD I had it written for a long time, but I wasn't happy with it because it was so short. Then I realized as I wrote out Chapter 32 that it was going to be a lot longer than I first planned so I could move things around and make this and the next chapter longer. Plus, there's a certain scene in the next chapter that I can expand on a lot and make that chapter longer as well.

Edit: Thanks to **ThexNameless** for pointing out that I forgot to replace the original character's name with Demyx.

Edit 2: I just realized I forgot to do the same for Sora. I'm so sorry!! I guess that's what I get for having so many characters...

Edit 3: Thanks also to **ohxasphyxiationx** for pointing out yet another, much serious goof I made. Stupid MS Word changed things so it appeared that Arlen's twin brother was Demyx, not Aidan. XDDDD Sometimes I really hate that software...


	31. Chapter 31

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. I do own the original characters not associated with either of these worlds. I am not making any money by writing this.

_Being pregnant was weird. From what my fathers told me, men weren't normally supposed to become pregnant. The two of them were a special case and now so was I._

_I got a lot of help from Harou, who had done this so many times before already. He told me what to expect and helped me through my entire pregnancy. He was so patient with me. I got huge and was incredibly moody from the hormones._

_In September, I gave birth to my firstborn son, Anatole. It was extremely difficult to give birth but I had a beautiful baby boy._

-----------------------------------

Chapter 31

Axel was gone for a very long time. Roxas nervously paced around the room. Zexion sighed softly as he watched Roxas's movements, Rian asleep in his arms. He turned to Riku.

"Can you hold him for me?" he asked.

"But…" Riku protested. He sighed softly. "All right. Give him here."

He held out his arms. Zexion smiled and gently placed the sleeping baby in Riku's arms. Rian shifted slightly, but remained asleep. Satisfied that his son was comfortable, Zexion now turned to Roxas.

"Roxas sweetie…" his voice was extremely gentle.

He held out his arms. Roxas walked over to Zexion and the dark silver haired boy wrapped his arms around him.

"It'll be okay," Zexion whispered.

Roxas shook his head. He didn't say anything. He just kept shaking his head.

Finally, Axel returned. He had his and Roxas's things with him. Roxas gave a loud cry and ran from Zexion's arms to Axel's, nearly knocking the redhead over.

"I'm so glad you came back," Roxas murmured, burying his face in Axel's shoulder. He started crying softly. "I was so scared I was going to lose you too."

"Shh." Axel held Roxas tightly. "I'm not going anywhere, got it?"

"Now isn't this sweet?" a new voice sneered.

Reno and Riku leapt to their feet. Roxas and Zexion gasped softly. Axel just stared. Xemnas stood in the doorway holding a gun.

"So this is where you've been hiding," he said.

Axel immediately pushed Roxas behind him, discarding their bags to the side.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Don't get so excited, Axel. I'm merely checking to make sure you're still alive," Xemnas responded.

"I seriously doubt that," Axel snorted.

Xemnas pointed the gun at him. Roxas shrank further behind Axel, but the redhead didn't seem to be afraid. He gazed calmly at the director. Xemnas's eyes dropped to where the bags lay abandoned.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"We're leaving The Institute," Axel answered.

"No you aren't," Xemnas snarled. "You are not permitted to leave The Institute ever unless I give you permission and believe me, I will not allow you to just walk out of The Institute.."

"I don't care." Axel's voice was extremely calm. "You aren't going to dictate our future any longer. You're done playing god."

"Silence!" Xemnas yelled.

The room was quiet except for Xemnas's heavy breathing.

"You are not to leave The Institute under any circumstances. Do you understand?" Xemnas snapped.

"Go fuck yourself," Axel responded.

"You insolent brat!" Xemnas screamed, his face turning dark purple. Axel stared at him levelly. "This isn't over yet!"

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly behind him. Axel gave his retreating back the middle finger. Reno smiled at this.

"Just what I would have done," he said.

"Xemnas is such a stupid fucking bastard. I hate his guts," Axel growled. He turned to Roxas. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Roxas answered, trembling slightly.

He moved away from his mate and started to gather the fallen bags.

"Arlen better hurry up," Reno muttered.

The door suddenly burst open and Xemnas came in with a handful of armed guards.

"All of you are under arrest for treason," Xemnas announced. He turned to the guards. "Arrest them." The guards didn't move. "What are you waiting for?! Arrest them!" He seemed to realize what was going on and laughed. "Oh I see. Very well then. I will execute all of you myself." He turned to Roxas. "I'll start with you."

He fired the gun. Roxas stood rooted to the spot. Axel started running but he wasn't going to make it in time and he knew it. But Riku was on the move. He blocked Roxas with his own body, taking the bullet in the shoulder. He groaned softly and fell to the ground. Zexion and Roxas screamed. Roxas dropped to his knees and pulled Riku onto his lap.

"Riku!" he gasped.

Riku's eyes slowly opened. "Hi…Roxas."

"Riku, why did you do that?" Roxas asked, tears in his eyes.

Riku chuckled weakly. "I didn't want Axel to be heartbroken. I couldn't bear to see him like that. I…love him."

Roxas did not gasp at the revelation. In a way, he already knew about the relationship between Axel and Riku. It didn't matter; it had started long before Roxas had even arrived. They needed the relationship, a way to release their sexual feelings. Roxas could understand. Sex once a month just wasn't enough for them and since they were forbidden from having sex with anyone besides their own mate, they had to do it secretly. Roxas couldn't hold it against them. Riku and Axel had their own needs and it had been impossible for Axel to have sex with Roxas more than once a month when his heat came. Riku didn't even have a mate.

"You don't look surprised," Riku observed.

"No," Roxas admitted. "It doesn't bother me. The Breeders are all horny teenagers. The only way for them to release their stress is through sex. I know your relationship was only sexual. You didn't want to interfere with my relationship with Axel. Right?"

"Yeah." Riku nodded. "We just fooled around because we needed something to do and it was a good stress reliever. It wasn't meant to be anything more than that, although I do admit I sort of got…attached to Axel. But I would never interfere with your relationship Roxas. I swear it."

"I know. I trust both you and Axel," Roxas whispered.

Riku smiled slightly. "I'm glad." His face turned serious. "Take good care of Axel, all right?"

"You know I will." Roxas's eyes filled with even more tears.

Riku looked up at Xemnas. "You've failed, Director. Whatever you hoped to accomplish by taking Roxas's life dies with me."

"Well," Xemnas sneered. "I was hoping that I would kill Roxas first, but it's no matter. I can deal with him later. It doesn't matter in what order I kill as long as all in this room are silenced permanently."

"You bastard!" Riku growled.

Xemnas fired at him again. The bullet pierced his stomach. Roxas screamed. Riku groaned. Blood gushed out of the wound. Riku started gasping and then fell still, his head resting against Roxas's chest.

"Riku? Riku!" Roxas gasped. He shook Riku, but there was no life left in the silver-haired boy.

Roxas seemed to realize this and started crying gently, murmuring Riku's name. Zexion started crying as well, holding Rian close to him. Axel's shoulders were shaking as he stared at the floor and when he looked up, Zexion and Roxas were surprised to see tears in his eyes.

He glared at Xemnas and it was clear that he was pissed off. Xemnas pointed the gun at him but he didn't even flinch.

"I'm going to take you down Xemnas, no matter what the cost is. I swear," Axel said.

"What can you do? You haven't any weapon," Xemnas sneered.

"I'll improvise." Axel shrugged.

He ran forward and charged Xemnas. Xemnas aimed the gun at him and fired. The bullet barely grazed his shoulder. He didn't even notice. He tackled Xemnas and the two of them crashed to the ground. They struggled for a while, trying to get control of the gun.

Axel pinned the arm that held the gun on the ground and tried to wrestle it away. Xemnas, in turn, tried to force Axel off. Both of them shouted and Axel colorfully cursed and condemned Xemnas to every known pit of hell imaginable.

Zexion stood there with Rian in his arms, staring with wide eyes at the scuffle. Roxas likewise, sat on the ground with Riku's body in his arms, just watching in stunned silence.

Reno calmly stepped forward and took the gun. It didn't take much effort for him to take the gun away. He made a gesture with his hand and the guards stepped forward. With relative ease, they separated Xemnas and Axel and restrained the director of The Institute. Xemnas was strangely silent, seeming to accept his fate without question. Axel shook the guards off him and turned to Reno.

"Give me the gun," he ordered.

"No," Reno refused.

"Give me the fucking gun Reno!" Axel yelled.

"I will not." Reno shook his head.

"But Reno…!" Axel protested. He sighed softly. "Unless Xemnas dies, it'll never end."

"I agree," Reno said softly. "However, I will not allow you to become a murderer. My hands have already stained with a lot of blood. I'll do the deed." He turned to the guards. "Take him outside. I'll be right there."

The guards nodded and dragged Xemnas out into the hall.

"Let go of me!" They heard Xemnas protest at once. "Get your hands off me! I am the Director of The Institute and you will listen to me…"

Reno sighed softly. "I'll be right back. Try not to listen, okay?"

"I understand," Axel responded.

Reno left, closing the door behind him with a snap. Axel walked over to where Roxas was still sitting on the floor and kneeled down. Then, he looked at Zexion.

"Take Rian and go into the bedroom. Close the door. Hurry!"

Zexion nodded and hurried off. Axel heard the soft clicking of a door closing. He turned back to Roxas, not knowing how much time he had. He swiftly pressed his hands over Roxas's ears.

"It'll be all right," Axel said softly. "It'll be over soon."

Roxas nodded, his body trembling. Axel was tense, waiting for the sound he knew was coming. Then, he heard a gunshot. Despite Axel's hands covering his ears, Roxas's heard the faint sound and his entire body stiffened. He sucked in his breath and closed his eyes, his hands tightening around Riku's body. He felt Axel's lips press against his forehead for a light kiss, but didn't dare open his eyes. The silence now following Xemnas's end was even worse.

To be continued…

Notes: Um…wow? I wasn't expecting there to be a past relationship with Riku and Axel, but I'm not surprised. The Breeders don't seem to have many morals in the first place. Monogamy? What's Monogamy? XDDDD Please don't kill me for killing Riku? Please? I was going to kill off Axel, but Riku sort of got into the way and I decided that that worked better.

Reno, who the hell are you?! I will say this about Reno: in Chapter 21 he told Roxas that he was twenty-eight years old, but that's a lie. He's a liar. I'm not saying that you shouldn't trust what he says because 90 percent of the time, he is telling the truth, but he is known to lie on occasion. Why? That's the real question, isn't it? Reno is a very complex man, even more complex than Axel.

I ended up rewriting the whole scene where Riku gets shot because I didn't like the way it had turned out. I'm much happier this time around. Originally, Riku was only going to get shot once, but I decided that he needed to be shot again to speed up his dying process. God I sound so sadistic. XD

Only one chapter left, folks. Then I can really begin the revisions. And also, I decided that in addition to writing the two novels about Reno (yes there are going to be a whopping two novels about him—there's just that much stuff) I'm also going to write a novel or two about Hayden, Harou, Jayden, Bryan, and the rest. I know I got into some details here, but that was only a sample of what they went through. It's gonna be fun. :D

One more thing: Axel and Riku?? WTF???!


	32. Chapter 32

Identity

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. If I did, things would be much different. I'm not making any money by writing this either.

Note: Well here it is folks, the last chapter of Identity. Thanks for sticking with me until the end. You have NO idea how grateful I am to every reviewer (except my one flame). Thank you guys SO much!!!!! And now I proudly present the last chapter of Identity. Oh yes, and there's a special bonus at the end—an excerpt from Dark Angel. Enjoy!!

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_My fathers allowed Bryan and me to stay together because I could have children and that was good for repopulating th world. Bryan and I were given a home of our own, where we raised our own family. It was not an easy life, but that was all right with me. I was happy. _

_------------------------------------------------------------------_

Chapter 32

The door opened and closed. Axel and Roxas looked up as Reno crossed the living room, covered in blood. One thing was for sure; Xemnas's execution had been messy. Reno didn't look very happy.

"No matter how many times I kill someone, it always makes me sick," he muttered more to the ground than to them.

"You should drop the act and tell us who you really are," Axel said angrily, detaching himself from Roxas and getting to his feet.

He tried to ignore the stinging pain in his shoulder and mask his discomfort, but Reno saw his wince.

"Are you all right?" Reno asked, his eyebrows knitting into a frown.

"Fine…" Axel gritted his teeth.

Reno wasn't convinced. "Let me see."

"I'm fine," Axel protested.

Reno raised his eyebrows. He physically forced Axel to sit on the couch.

"Stay," he ordered, pointing at Axel. "I'll be right back."

He vanished into the bedroom. Roxas shifted Riku off his lap and rose. He walked over to the couch.

"Let me see," he murmured, kneeling down in front of Axel.

Axel growled under his breath, but did not hinder Roxas from removing his shirt. A small amount of blood trickled down Axel's right shoulder. Roxas sucked in his breath; the sight of blood always made him slightly uncomfortable.

"Well? How does it look?" Reno asked.

Roxas and Axel looked up and exchanged a confused look; neither of them had heard him enter the room again.

"It's not too bad," Roxas replied. "I'm not really sure though."

"Well then, let me take a look, huh?" Reno smiled and stepped forward.

He carried a small first aid kit with him that he put on a small table next to the couch Axel sat on. He opened the kit, pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, and kneeled in front of Axel. Roxas got up and stood to the side, watching anxiously as Reno examined Axel's shoulder.

"It doesn't look bad at all," Reno said at last. "The bullet just barely grazed his shoulder. It doesn't look like it even penetrated his body. And I don't think it hit any of his organs either."

"Wha a relief," Roxas murmured.

"I'll just patch him up and he'll be as good as new. Roxas, can you get the antiseptic, some gauze, and some medical tape?" Reno shifted his position slightly.

Roxas nodded and turned around. He grabbed the items Reno requested and silently handed them to the red haired man. Reno made quick work of Axel's shoulder, spraying antiseptic on the wound and applying gauze and tape. Axel hissed under his breath when the antiseptic touched his skin, but did his best to hold as still as possible.

"There!" Reno declared, getting up and stepping back once his work had been finished. "Good as new!"

The front door opened and closed a second time. Arlen came in.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's fine," Reno replied.

"Everything went according to plan then?" Arlen asked.

"Well, almost." Reno glanced sadly at Riku's body.

Arlen followed his gaze. He did not gasp out loud, but his eyes widened.

"I…see," he said in a hard voice.

"You never answered me Reno," Axel said from the couch. "Who the hell are you? Why did the guards take orders from you and ignore Xemnas's commands?"

Reno smiled. "They take orders from me because I'm the Chief of the Police Force."

Roxas and Axel gasped softly and stared at him.

"I don't…believe it," Roxas whispered.

Reno laughed at the reaction. "Yeah, I am even though I'm just thirty two years old. I was appointed to be the Chief of the Police Force when I was twenty six, the youngest one ever appointed. It was through the same chain of unfortunate events that reunited me with Arlen that I was made the Chief of the Police Force. It's not a title I ever sought after, but I've accepted my job. I commute every day to the Police Force Headquarters, which fortunately isn't too far from here."

For the third time that day, the front door opened and someone came in. This time, it was a lone guard who entered.

"Chief Sinclair, we're almost wrapped up here," he said.

"All right. I'll be there soon," Reno replied.

The guard saluted and left.

"What's going to happen now?" Axel asked.

"The Institute will be closed," Reno answered, turning back around. "The young Bearers and Breeders who still have biological parents will be reunited with them. Those who do not have surviving parents will be reunited with their foster parents and those who do not have foster parents will be placed in foster care. The older Bearers and Breeders who have passed the age of eighteen will be assisted in getting homes and jobs. They'll be able to start over. Of course, you fall into the last category, Axel." Reno surveyed Axel intently. "Records indicate you're going to be turning twenty soon. Am I right?"

"Yes, that's right," Axel mumbled.

Reno turned to Roxas, his face serious. "You must make a choice, Roxas. You can go back to your foster parents, you can live with Arlen and me, or you can live with Axel."

Roxas was silent for a while, thinking. His face was troubled. "I don't know what to decide."

"Do what your heart tells you," Arlen urged.

"I want to…" Roxas said slowly. "I want to stay with Axel."

Axel looked surprised, but smiled. "I'm glad you want to stay with me, after everything I put you through."

Roxas smiled. "Of course, you idiot. I love you."

Reno was smiling.

"We're happy that you're happy Roxas," Arlen said with a small smile of his own. "I know you'll be happy together. You can start your own family."

"Thank you." Roxas smiled.

He glanced down at Riku's body and that smile faded away.

Reno saw. "We'll take care of him. Axel, do you know if Riku had any family?"

Axel shook his head. "He was orphaned when he was sixteen."

"So he doesn't have anyone?" Roxas breathed.

"He has us," Axel pointed out.

"We'll get Riku taken care of," Reno said softly. "Arlen, go see if you can find some clean clothes for Riku to wear. I'll be right back. I need to make some arrangements."

Reno and Arlen left. Axel and Roxas were alone for the moment. Roxas sat next to Axel on the couch, leaning back against the cushions, and closing his eyes.

"So…" Axel said slowly. "You really want to live with me, huh?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?" Roxas frowned.

He sat up and opened his eyes, looking directly at his mate.

"I don't know." Axel shrugged. "It's not going to be an easy life."

"I know," Roxas murmured. "We can face it though." He placed his hand on top of his mate's.

Arlen soon came back with a bundle of clothes in his arms. Zexion was behind him.

"Where's Rian?" Roxas asked, noting the infant's absence.

"Asleep in the bedroom," Zexion answered.

"I had a crib I used after Roxas was born," Arlen added.

He brought the clothes over to where Riku's body lay and kneeled down.

"Axel, can I have some help from you?" he asked.

"Of course," Axel replied softly.

He got off the couch and helped Arlen take off the blood-stained clothes and put the clean clothes on. Roxas stood back by Zexion, watching.

"The Institute is being closed," Roxas said softly.

"Yeah, I know," Zexion replied. "Arlen just told me."

"So what are you going to do?" Roxas asked.

"Not sure…" Zexion's gaze was distant. He was silent for a while. "What about you?"

"Axel's going to get an apartment or a house somewhere and we're going to live together. We'll probably start a family. I'm not sure what Axel's planning to do yet. We haven't really discussed it."

"How nice." Zexion smiled. "If Demyx were here, I'd probably do the same. in October, but I'm not sure I'm ready to live on my own yet. Perhaps I'll find my biological parents and live with them, that is, if they're still alive."

"Reno and I can help." Arlen unexpectedly turned around. "We have connections through Reno's position as the Chief of the Police Force as well as both our positions on the Council. We can find your true parents, if you wish."

"Yes." Zexion nodded.

Arlen smiled a little and turned back around. He and Axel finished what they were doing and stood. They waited until Reno returned.

"Everything is being taken care of," Reno said softly, standing near the door. "My men are getting a coffin and a site where we can bury him. They'll meet us at the entrance. All we have to do is bring Riku there."

"I'll do it," Axel volunteered.

"But you've been hurt," Reno protested.

"I'm fine," Axel assured him with a smile.

"You need to reset your shoulder," Reno said sternly. "Overexerting it will be bad. Trust me, I've seen what can happen from using a wounded shoulder too much even if it's the smallest of wounds. We don't really know how serious the wound is and the last thing we wanna do is aggravate it because it might turn out to be fatal."

"Fine." Axel sighed in defeat. "How are we going to get Riku's body moved then?"

"I'll carry him," Reno replied.

He walked over to where Riku's body lay, bent down, and easily picked him up. Axel put his shirt back on with help from Roxas. Zexion fetched Rian from his crib.

"This way," Reno said. "Follow me."

They left the apartment with Reno leading. Axel and Roxas followed with their arms around each other. Zexion was next, carrying Rian. Arlen took the rear.

They must have made a strange sight, Dare supposed, as they walked down the twisting hallways, passing by a few people who instantly stopped whatever they were doing and stared. Reno was covered in blood and was carrying a body. Axel and Roxas were both bloody. Zexion had turned extremely pale and the color had not yet returned to his face. And Arlen was apathetic. Roxas didn't understand how his father (one of them at least) could be so apathetic at the moment. Even Axel was shaken. Even Reno looked grim. But Arlen was as neutral as ever. Roxas didn't understand it at all.

They soon came upon a lot more people; guards, workers, teachers, and even some Breeders and Bearers. The latter groups were intermingling now, all protocol of The Institute forgotten. It did not matter any longer; The Institute was closing and Xemnas was dead. There was no one to tell them that they had to be separated any longer.

And despite their freedom, the Breeders were behaving themselves, standing silently by the Bearers. Mates stood together and the rest of the Breeders hung out around them.

_Perhaps,_ Roxas thought as they passed the Breeders and the Bearers. _Perhaps Xemnas was wrong about them after all. They __**can**__ control themselves._

They certainly looked shocked as the group went by.

Roxas's thoughts were interrupted by a horrified gasp. He looked up. Sora pushed his way through the crowd. He saw Riku's body being carried by Reno and gasped again.

"Riku!" he cried, running forward. "What happened? What happened to him?!"

"He was shot," Axel replied grimly as Sora fell in step with them. "By Xemnas."

"Oh my god," Sora said faintly. "Oh my god!"

He started crying. His hand went to his mouth to try and cover his sobs, but he was unsuccessful.

"I'm so sorry Sora. It's my fault," Roxas whispered. Sora looked at him curiously. "Xemnas was trying to shoot me and Riku got in the way." He could not hide the emotions in his voice, the pain."He protected my life in exchange for his own."

Sora didn't say anything, which made Roxas feel even worse. He buried his face in Axel's shoulder, willing the tears away. Axel responded by placing a light kiss on the top of Roxas's head.

They finally reached the entrance to The Institute, the official entrance. There were guards everywhere, doing various tasks. As Reno passed, they stopped whatever they were doing and saluted. Reno nodded at them in acknowledgement. At the doors was the Council in its entirety (lacking, of course, only Arlen and Reno), all of them dressed in their usual black robes.

None of their facial expressions changed when they saw Reno carrying Riku and suddenly, Roxas understood why Arlen behaved the way he did. He really was a kind and caring person, but he needed to turn off his emotions at times or else he would not be able to do his job properly.

"Is everything taken care of?" the raven haired woman asked.

"Yes Luna." Reno nodded. "We just need to bury this boy."

"Is that Riku?" It was the man with straw-colored hair who spoke, his voice filled with curiosity.

"Yes." Reno nodded. "He was unfortunately shot by Xemnas before I got a chance to subdue Xemnas. He died to save Roxas."

"I see," the woman named Luna said. "It's a very tragic loss indeed. Riku will be remembered for his bravery and his selfless act."

Roxas felt Axel bristle beside him and squeezed his mate's hand reassuringly. Axel did not relax.

"Axel, please," Roxas whispered.

"How can they talk about Riku like that? They barely even know him!" Axel responded, his teeth clenched.

"I know it's wrong," Roxas murmured. "But there's nothing we can do right now."

He turned and watched Reno argue with one of the other Council members. Suddenly, Arlen brushed past them.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"I have it under control," Reno answered stiffly.

Arlen snorted and crossed his arms. "It sure looks like that to me."

Reno glared at him and turned back to the Council member. "Look Vance, we could sit here and argue all day, but it's not going to happen."

"You're being unreasonable," Vance said patiently.

"I'm being unreasonable?!" Reno growled. "These kids have just witnessed their friend die. He fucking _died_ in Roxas's arms. Let them have some time to cope with this, all right?"

"You know that it's important to question them right away because stories get corrupted over time. We need the truth," Vance said coldly.

"Well then question me. I was there," Reno snapped.

"You know that is now how we do things…" Vance started.

"I don't fucking care," Reno growled. Vance looked at him in surprise. "I am not permitting you to question them."

"On whose authority?" Vance asked.

"My own," Roxas answered.

"You can't do this!" Vance protested. "You may be the Chief of Police, _Reno_, but that does not mean you authority supersedes ours."

"I know that. But…" Reno paused.

"What?" Vance looked at Reno suspiciously. "Why do you try and protect them anyway? What do you gain by going against the Council for their sake?"

"My son." Reno swallowed. "Roxas is my son."

Vance looked outraged. "How can this be?! We would have known if Roxas was your son. Our records indicate…"

"Your records are incomplete," Reno said coolly. "If you remember correctly, there is no father listed for Roxas. Arlen bore him at The Institute, but no one knew who the other parent was because Arlen arrived at The Institute already pregnant. I have no doubts that Roxas is my son. He resembles Arlen, yes, but not completely."

"I don't believe you!" Vance's voice rose.

"Of course not," Reno muttered. He turned. "Roxas, could you come here?"

Roxas nodded and let go of Axel's hand. Axel watched apprehensively as his mate walked forward and stood by Reno.

There were several low gasps; when standing next to each other, it was easy to see the faint resemblance between Roxas and Reno.

"He has my facial structure, my lips, and for god's sake, he even has my eyes!" Reno snapped.

Vance nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to doubt you."

"It's okay," Reno said softly.

"Why did you conceal such a thing from us?" Luna asked.

"I have my reasons," Reno answered mysteriously. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to bury my son's friend."

He pushed past the members of the Council. They did not hinder his progression of the others. Roxas ignored them. Axel sent a glare their way. Zexion's face was apologetic. Arlen was apathetic.

They blinked as they stepped out into the sun. A layer of snow blanketed the ground and the air was chilly. It didn't take Roxas long to start shivering. Axel wrapped his arm around him and held him close, trying to transfer some of his body heat to his mate. Zexion could barely suppress his own shivers. He held Rian close to his breast to try and keep him from freezing. Something warm and heavy was put on his shoulders. He looked up. It was the jacket Arlen had been wearing.

"Aren't you cold?" Zexion asked, glancing at Arlen's bare arms.

"I'll manage," Arlen answered. "Let me hold Rian so you can put the jacket on properly."

"All right."

Zexion handed Rian over to Arlen as gently as he could and pulled the jacket on.

"He really doesn't look like you," Arlen murmured.

Zexion looked up, surprised, but smiled sadly. "No, he doesn't. He looks like Demyx."

"He was not your mate, correct?" Arlen asked.

"No." Zexion pushed several stray hairs out of his eyes. "I went behind Halen's back. I knew it was wrong, but I was in heat and Demyx was horny. All our reason went out the window."

"I understand," Arlen murmured. "I experienced something similar with Reno. I did not know that I was in heat and I attracted Reno to me. It did not matter that I was not supposed to give away my virginity until I was mated at The Institute. I wanted, no I _needed_ to have sex with someone and that happened to be Reno.

"I felt so much better after I had sex with him. It happened again the next month and the month after that. The only way to stop what I was feeling was to have sex. Reno was happy to oblige. He was a young male, eager to have sex. And it did not matter that I was a man either."

"I see. Well…thank you." Zexion's voice was incredibly soft.

Arlen simply nodded and handed Rian back to Zexion. They hurried to catch up with Reno, Roxas, and Axel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone watched as the coffin bearing Riku's body was carefully lowered into the ground. Zexion watched with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Rian was asleep in his arms. Arlen stood off to the side, watching apathetically. The rest of those who had lived at The Institute were present as well; the Breeders, the Bearers, the guards, and the other various staff members including all the teachers. Reno was the one who presided over the funeral.

"I did not know Riku well at all. I only met him twice, once while sitting on the Council and once right before he died. He seemed like a very kind young man and loyal, at least from what I could tell…"

Zexion glanced over at Roxas and Axel. Their bodies supported each other. They probably would not have been even standing if they didn't have each other to hold onto. Roxas's head was bowed and Zexion could see his lips moving in silent prayer, tears streaming freely down his face. Axel was silent, his expression confused, uncomprehending of the situation he was currently in. He looked dazed, like he believed that this was all just a dream and he would wake up at any second. Zexion laughed bitterly to himself. How he wished it was all a dream, just a nightmare that he would awaken from sweating and panting in his own bed. But it was not a dream. He had long accepted the truth of the situation even though it made him want to scream.

At long last, Reno finished the service and the crowd slowly dispersed. Roxas detached himself from his mate and hurried to catch up to Reno.

"Reno wait a moment!" he called. Reno stopped and turned around. Roxas approached him. "Before we part ways, there's one more thing I need to ask you."

"Oh?" Reno asked curiously.

"I want to find out where Colin's foster parents live so I can at least see my son one more time," Roxas said, his voice wavering slightly.

Reno nodded in understanding. "I'll take care of it."

"Thank you," Roxas whispered.

He and Reno embraced briefly.

----------------------------------------

A cloaked and hooded figure stepped through the darkness and up the front porch of one of the neatly managed houses on the street. A pale hand reached out from beneath the folds of the material and knocked softly on the front door.

There was a pause and then the oak door opened slightly. A young woman with brown hair stuck her head out. She seemed to know what the figure wanted because she vanished without a sound, leaving the front door cracked slightly.

In a few moments, she was back with a bundle in her arms. She opened the door wider, spilling more light onto the porch, although the figure's face remained concealed beneath the hood. The woman looked around before pressing the bundle into the figure's arms.

The figure spoke softly. "Thank you so much."

The woman didn't answer. The door closed. The figure went down the porch and back to the street and stepped into the light from one of the streetlamps lining the street. The same pale hand reached up and pulled the hood back, revealing the face of a young boy with cropped honey colored hair. He then reached down to the bundle and brushed the grey cotton material out of the way and looked down at the sleeping face of an infant with soft strawberry blond curls. The figure smiled and cradled the precious bundle carefully as he vanished into the still night air.

End

Note: Oh. My. God. It's over. It's finally over. I never thought I'd finish this. Hell, I never even thought I'd get past the first couple chapters. It's been over a year since I started working on this. It was posted on fictionpress one year, four months, and a couple days ago. Where the hell did the time go??!

Now that it's over, I'm going to do a lot of revisions, adding in some scenes and stuff. There's still a lot of work to be done, but that's just a part of the writing process. Yes, that last scene was meant to be a bit obscure. It's up to you to figure out what happened. I'm not saying a thing. Except to tell you if you're right or wrong.

I want to say a generalized thank you to all the reviewers. I never would have made it this far without your support. There are WAY too many of you to thank individually, but your reviews are SO appreciated.

And…-takes a deep breath- here is a special sneak peak of Reno's story from Dark Angel. Enjoy!

_Rude had been working as a member of the Police Force for eight years and he had never met anyone quite like Reno Sinclair. The boy was only eighteen years old, fresh out of high school, and yet he was being recruited to the Police Force. He had no experience whatsoever in the field of police work, but everyone insisted that he was brilliant. He certainly did not look brilliant, Rude scoffed, staring the new kid down._

_Reno Sinclair was of medium height, around 5'5 or 5'6, Rude guessed. He looked very underfed, but yet he was very effeminate. He had high cheekbones, a thin face, and long eyelashes, a deceptively angelic face. His eyes were a cold blue and his hair was shockingly red. Rude was sure he had never seen hair so red before. It was a tangled mess, hanging down to Reno's waist, filled with rats and dirt. The way Reno talked, the way he moved, it was all so feminine. He was everything Rude was not. Rude was tall and broad-chested with dark skin, no hair, and dark chocolate brown eyes. He always hid himself behind a pair of sunglasses. Reno's clothes consisted of a pair of faded blue jeans, a white T-shirt with holes in several places, and holy shoes. There was dirt smudged on his face and hands._

_This was his new partner._

_Rude had no idea why he was being partnered with Reno. He was not even sure he would be able to work with Reno, but he trusted his superiors' judgment._


End file.
